Pieces of Forever: Blood Atonement
by KrasnajaCamelopard
Summary: Forever is a long time. Vampires are no longer living in secret, but cooperation between the species is difficult. Bella returns from a secret mission, finding her family involved in a mystery which could have dangerous consequences for them - and the whole world. The Cullens have been torn apart by trauma. But this case could finally bring them together - or tear them apart again.
1. Prologue: Pieces of Forever

**[AN: This story is rated M for explicit language, some graphic violence, and existential angst. Content warnings will be posted for individual chapters.]**

between the idea

and the reality

between the motion

and the act

falls the shadow

for thine is the kingdom

between the conception

and the creation

between the emotion

and the response

falls the shadow

life is very long

(TS Eliot, _The Hollow Men_ )

The woman drove up in a hurry. She left the van's engine on, heedless of the cost. The man met her at the door. He was angry. She had never seen him this angry, or really, angry at all.

"Why are you bringing this problem to me? Have I not done enough to help you?" he asked. His eyes were stern, paternal.

"I didn't know what else to do." She kept her eyes down. "I just found him, lying there on the heath. He was so far away from — "

"And you thought the best thing to do with a dead body was bring it to me?"

"I couldn't just leave him there — "

"I don't see why not. They'll take care of it eventually." The man knew he was being unnecessarily gruff with her, but otherwise, would she ever learn how to take care of herself?

"Tell me what to do," she was practically begging now, "I can't go back there — they'll know I've been with the van too long."

"We'll have to toss him in one of those dumpsters a few blocks away. We should leave it in the district. Then it won't bring any attention on us. Or the vampires."

That was a good idea. He always had such good ideas. She nodded and ran back out to the van, and he followed behind. He ducked his head; there probably weren't any cameras working around here, but you could never be too careful. It's not like he'd be given a chance to explain himself…

"Don't worry, dear," he said quietly, as he slid into the passenger seat, keeping his head low still. He wished he had a hat. "The time is coming soon. It will all come to pass. It was foretold." He hoped his voice sounded authoritative.

"Yes, yes. I know. I have faith." She was nodding so hard she wasn't really paying attention to the road.

"I have faith," she repeated, "that we will all see eternity soon."


	2. 1: The Life of the Flesh is in the Blood

Those who have crossed

With direct eyes, to death's other Kingdom

Remember us-if at all-not as lost

Violent souls, but only

As the hollow men

(Eliot, _The Hollow Men_ )

10 September 2162

GRAND FORKS, ND

06.30

The first rays of daylight, grey and diffuse as usual, filtered through the dusty blinds as he looked out over University Avenue. He grunted slightly and tugged the cord to close the slats. For a moment, he considered leaving the office, going for a dawn patrol. He got as far as pushing his sunglasses down over his dull red eyes and grabbing his old army-style jacket from the coat rack before he heard the promising noise. It was pretty far away, probably in the front hall a few floors down, but he distinctly heard a scuffling and the faint thrum of a heartbeat. Forget the stroll, he thought, maybe we've got a new case.

The heartbeat continued to sound, but it wasn't getting any closer. Probably pacing. He shrugged and reached down, grabbing an A+ can from his GONE FISHIN' cooler. He could wait. These days, he never tired of joking, he had nothing but time. The can made a satisfying hiss as the mechanism began spinning. It had really improved the taste when they had figured out how to get it to feel like it was flowing, even a little warm. Genius.

Slow, slow, the heartbeat seemed to be finally moving, taking the stairs. Footsteps were soft, unrhythmic. Huh, maybe the elevator's on the fritz again. Careful to move at human speed, he seated himself behind his desk and turned on the green-shade lamp. The decor had been something of a point of contention. His daughter had pronounced the 1940s super-retro touches as "cheesy", his son-in-law had shaken his head at the desk, pronouncing it "unnecessary and intimidating" to their potential clients. But those two didn't get it. It was good to be intimidating in their line of work. It built confidence. Of course, they had a few things going for them in that direction without even trying. Over time, though, they had all come to realize that it didn't really matter what it looked like inside the office. There were always going to be clients, and plenty of them. At least, as long as the V-Police kept trumpeting the party line: "Grand Forks: safest and healthiest town in America!" Funny.

No movement from the heartbeat, stuck on the landing outside. An attack of nerves. _Good, buddy, you should be nervous_. Then something a little more troubling. The heartbeat faltered, growing suddenly quiet, and then speeded up, a little thready. Maybe it was more than just nerves. He briefly considered looking out the door to see if anything was wrong, but realized that would probably just send the fellow scurrying back down the stairs. Humans never got used the idea that they couldn't help but announce their presence. It was best to keep up the illusion that they could have the advantage, even just in deciding when to arrive.

He took a long pull from the can and ran his hand through his salt-and-pepper hair. He'd picked up that gesture from his son-in-law years ago, and never gotten out of the habit since. It seemed to be reassuring. Mmm, he thought. A+ is definitely the best type of this brand. He licked his upper lip, making sure none of the red liquid remained on his bristly mustache. That was never a good look. Still moving as slowly as he could, he kicked his legs up onto his desk, crossing his legs at the ankle, showing off his cowboy boots to the empty room. The awkwardness of moving at human speed meant that he nearly knocked the tattered paperback book off the desk. "IMMORTAL PASSIONS," proclaimed the lurid lime-green cover. BY BELLACQUA CYGNET. He allowed himself a few moments in his memory, picturing her as she handed the book to him, open to her 'inscription':

To Daddy  
Thanks for Everything!  
Please don't read this book!  
3 Bella

At that moment, comfortable in his patented "tell me your troubles, gentle human" pose, he realized the heartbeat hadn't paused just on account of nerves. A sharp scent proceeded the new arrival by microseconds. The frosted-glass door banged open as his son-in-law breezed in. As usual, he looked like he had just rolled out of bed and thrown on his clothes. If he had ever doubted his son-in-law's fidelity, he would have been very suspicious. But it was just his style these days. And without Bella around, he was even more inclined to dress this way. His leather jacket hung open, his bronze hair stuck up every which way, and his eyes glowed bright red as he presented a slight smile.

"Swan," the younger-looking man said, nodding almost imperceptibly.

"Cullen," he nodded in return. "Sounds like you might have scared our new customer to death out there."

"No, sir." He he furrowed his brow. "He didn't even see me. Felt a breeze. He's working up the nerve."

"Can you tell what it's about?" His son-in-law was, as always, relishing in the delay of information. Just get to the point, son.

"Not yet, his thoughts are too jumbled. Something has done a number on him, that's for sure." With that, he dropped his own sunglasses down onto the bridge of his nose and slid into the wooden chair at the side of the desk.

"Anything interesting overnight?" The man asked, tilting his head slightly. Don't bother hiding anything, young man, you know I'll know, he thought.

"Young man, really, Charlie?"

"Sorry, Edward. Habit, you know it is." The two men chuckled. Not always an easy partnership, but it worked. Mostly.

"Nothing too interesting in the night. Chased a couple of ice-dealers up the line. Took them out about forty miles outside the limits."

"Good," the man nodded. "Only two?"

"Yes, two. Though before I took care of them they gave me plenty of good info for follow-up." He paused. "If Bella were here, I'd have given her the female, that's for sure." He wrinkled his nose dramatically and huffed. "She never seems to mind icers. They taste disgusting to me."

 _Where is my daughter?_ Charlie thought, almost shouting. Edward shook his head.

"I told you the other day, her last message said she'd be back in GF before her birthday."

"That's Bella for you. Why does she have to be so damn cryptic?"

"Goes with the territory, sir."

He sighed and took another pull on his A+ can. "I know, Cullen, but I don't have to like it, do I?"

"No." I know you don't like it either, son. But at least you've been able to see her and talk to her a few times.

The conversation, such as it was, was interrupted by a timid rat-a-tat on the doorframe. The door itself had snapped back, not completely closed, but no human would ever dare enter without asking permission.

"Come in," called Charlie Swan, "we won't bite."

Edward Cullen was worried. The human had stumbled into the office and immediately collapsed in a chair. His thoughts at first had been nothing but a mix of words, syllables really, that made no sense, except for the repetition of "blood". And then, as his heartbeat had stabilized and he had calmed down, sipping some apple juice Charlie had dug out from the cooler, his thoughts had disappeared. Not like he was being shielded — Edward was very familiar with what that felt like — but more that he had ceased to have any thoughts. It was very unnerving.

The two vampires sat, silent and still, waiting for the human to say anything at all, to explain himself. The minutes ticked by. The man pulled on his grey hair, ran his hands up and down his face, and intermittently clutched at the armrests. His eyes flicked from one vampire to the other, from the desk to the wall-map, the window, the floor, the computer screen (turned off), and even, very briefly, to the "A+" can where Charlie had left it in plain view. Oops. The man's eyes rolled back slightly into his head and he looked like he was thinking about bolting, but Edward didn't seem about to stop him. Finally, Charlie had had enough.

"What's your name, son?"

The man looked up at last. But he just shook his head, like he didn't understand the question. He coughed, and asked, in a small voice, "could I have some more juice, please?"

Charlie retrieved another bottle of the stuff from the cooler. I didn't even like this stuff before, he mused. Sickly sweet.

 _Name…name…_ Edward heard in the human's mind. Well, that was something. The second juice was gone in seconds and the man sat up a little straighter in the chair. The "human chair" was as comfortable as they could find — red leather, deep cushioning, solid armrests. It wouldn't do for guests of Swan  & Cullen Investigations to be any more uncomfortable than they had to be. But the chair did allow people to sink into it, to turn away from the gaze of the vampires whose help they had sought. It didn't matter, whatever they wanted to hide would be exposed anyway. Well, usually.

"I — I can't remember my name…" the man looked like he was going to cry.

Edward looked at Charlie, who nodded. An idea struck Edward, who took a sniff of the man and gestured at him to stand up. He complied, of course. There it is, Edward saw it.

"You didn't think to look at your own wallet, man?" The human, if it were possible, got even paler as he reached and felt the leather wallet protruding from the back pocket of his jeans. He took out the wallet, but rather than opening it, he tossed it across the desk to Edward, who caught it smoothly. Almost like he doesn't want to know, Charlie suggested.

"According to your Grand Forks Legal Identicard," Edward read aloud, "you are Tom McGarry, 52 years old, human male, 150 pounds. Resident at SafeBuilding 5, Westward Ave. That's in the all-human district, isn't it?"

The man nodded. "So you haven't forgotten everything, I guess," Charlie said.

"I didn't even have to think. I know Westward — I can see Westward Park in my head," the man — McGarry — closed his eyes, a slight smile tweaking his lips.

"What happened to you? Why have you come to us?" Charlie leaned forward across the desk, blowing air into his mustache. It was almost a friendly posture. Humans responded well to it. Edward, meanwhile, leaned back in his chair and fidgeted with his sunglasses. He thought of tossing the wallet back to McGarry, but changed his mind when he saw the man's shaking hands as he brought them up to his face for a moment, wiping across his eyes and nose.

"I came to you because I saw this," he reached into his inside jacket pocket and removed a faded, folded piece of paper. "When I first woke up I went to the V-Police, of course, but they didn't believe me."

"Woke up?" asked Charlie. He picked up the paper and saw it was an old ad of theirs, posted just after they'd found the office. The papers had been up all around the human district, and especially in the boundary areas. This one looked like it had been pinned to a noticeboard or something.

IN TROUBLE? V-POLICE WON'T LISTEN?  
ALL SPECIES WELCOME  
NO PROBLEM TOO LARGE OR SMALL  
SWAN AND CULLEN INVESTIGATIONS

There was a small logo of a swan — Celtic-style — underneath. They'd been fairly proud of it at the time, though it hadn't gotten an enormous response.

The ad listed their address, but no phone number. It had taken them a year in here before they'd managed to get a phone installed. Amazing how things could last, Charlie thought. I haven't seen one of these since that year. "Woke up?" He repeated when their customer seemed to have lapsed again into silence and shaking.

McGarry grunted, or maybe moaned. "Yeah, I woke up. Yesterday morning. I was in an alley in the human district, but way south — near Lawndale. I woke up with my head under a dumpster. I couldn't — can't — remember anything. My name, my job, my family. I knew I was in Grand Forks, what year it was, that there are vampires and werewolves and that it isn't safe to go wandering around outside the city. But I couldn't remember anything — nothing about me. I tried to sit up and realized I was covered in blood. I was still actively bleeding from my neck and thigh. I guess not an artery…"

Edward held up his hand. "You were actively bleeding from the neck, but there was no venom?"

"Well, I thought there was at first. Dragged myself to a B-Clinic — my first thought was I was being vamped by some crazy rogue and something had gone wrong with my change. But the B-Clinic insisted there was no venom. I was missing half my blood, no bite marks, though, so they assured me I must have been injured by another human." This utterance seemed to have exhausted McGarry, who started to breathe heavily.

"But you don't think so?" Charlie leaned further forward.

"Do you?" Edward and Charlie looked at each other. If this is a human thing, I'll drink some of that apple juice over there, Charlie thought. But why didn't the B-Clinic check his damn wallet?

"No, this has vamp written all over it," Edward spoke for both of them. But Charlie was right — the B-Clinic sounded as if they had done as thorough a job as the V-Police. Which was to say, about as thorough a job as they'd come to expect. It was damned annoying.

"But I swear to you, I woke up in the human district. If the vamps are in there, doing this to people, then — "

Edward stood up, a little too fast for human speed.

"If this was done to you by a vamp, something must have gone wrong. No vamp is going to leave his trash in the human district actively bleeding."

You're almost certainly not the first, either. Charlie had seen vamps who were sloppy before, vamps with defective venom, vamps with a bleed-and-suck fetish, but this didn't look like that at all. This seemed more — clinical, somehow. That McGarry had escaped from a much worse fate was a sure thing.

"Trash?" McGarry winced.

Edward walked to the door, and stood for a moment, facing away from the human.

"My apologies, Mr. McGarry. I was speaking only from the perspective of the — criminal, here. The V-police refused to help you?"

McGarry nodded, sinking down even further into the chair. "They said they wouldn't be able to find the 'human' since he'd left no evidence, and accused me of selling my blood and being too embarrassed to admit it."

"Is it possible that you were selling your blood, and in your trauma you've forgotten that?" That was a possibility Charlie had been considering in his head for some time. It would fit everything except the reason why he had been dumped. But even a black-market bloodseller knew they would get in a great deal of trouble if they started discarding over-takers or heart attack victims or whatnot in the back alleys of the human district. It was just barely possible, though.

"I don't think so, Mr., um, you're Swan, right?" McGarry shook his head at Charlie.

"That's right."

"If I was selling my blood, how was I affording a place like the one I'm apparently living in?"

A good point. Edward walked again, this time to the window. He peeked through the slats at the semi-bustling street below.

"Were you followed here?" he asked. McGarry's eyes bugged out of his head. "I don't think so — why?"

"Just checking. I think this could be something very serious, Mr. McGarry." That got a dry laugh.

"Obviously, it is very serious for you. But I mean for everyone. Something isn't adding up. Since you are being truthful with us — " at this he quirked an eyebrow and Charlie, who nodded so slightly the human would never notice. "Since you are clearly telling the truth, I think we have a very serious case on our hands."

McGarry stood, unsteady. "Great! How much do I owe you?"

Edward shook his head. "Nothing, McGarry. This one's on us. Go home. See if you can find your family, get your memory back. Do you have a phone?"

"I — I guess I do. Don't most SafeBuilding apartments have phones?"

"If you say so. I haven't been in one." Edward smiled what he hoped was a reassuring smile. The human almost giggled. Perhaps it was not so reassuring after all. Charlie joined them in standing, and crossed to the still bewildered, and almost panicked, human.

"Here's our card with our office number. Call us tomorrow with a number we can reach you at. We'll keep you updated." The man nodded.

 _He's not safe yet_. Charlie picked the phone and dialed the number of the BikeCab company they trusted.

"A cab will be downstairs to take you to your address. Probably best if you stay at home until we let you know otherwise." Edward extended his hand to the man, who shrank back with such force he almost toppled over the chair. Very well.

"Cab's here," Charlie said as he hung up the phone with a click.

"Th — Thank you, really. I wish I could be more helpful," McGarry said as he backed through the door and took off, pounding down the stairs. His uneven heartbeat receded, pulsing and shuddering down the stairs.

I hope he makes it home without collapsing, Charlie thought.

The two vampires stood still for some minutes, wondering what they had just walked into.

Edward spoke first. "If this is what I think it could be, this is more than just some case. I think we might have really stepped in something big here."

Charlie could only agree. "There's no way this guy is the only victim of — whatever this is. But there's been nothing in the bulletins — public or police. Someone's keeping this quiet."

"There's no way the two of us can handle this by ourselves." Edward remained by the window, watching McGarry on the back of the BikeCab as it pulled away. Charlie perched himself on the edge of the desk, crossing his arms in imitation of an old-style sheriff he dimly remembered admiring. We're probably going to have to talk to our friendly neighborhood Interspecies Council President. Charlie groaned inwardly as he had the thought. "That's sure to go well," Edward acknowledged his sentiment.

Once McGarry's cab had turned onto 20th and out of view, Edward faced his father-in-law. He spoke the words that echoed in Charlie's head.

"We need Bella."


	3. 2: The Return of the Swan

**[Content Warning: slight graphic violence]**

"So long as men die, liberty will never perish."  
(Chaplin, in _The Great Dictator_ )

10 September 2162

18.45

McGarry called to say he was safe at home and to give the detectives his number. But he had no more useful information to report about himself: no spouse or children, no obvious employment information, no Tax ID, just a new telescreen, an oldish computer with no hookup, and a lot of books about gardens and parks. Not much to go on, but he clearly wasn't hurting for money. Perhaps we'll need to go the financial route to start with, Charlie thought, idly sipping his third A+.

Edward was antsy, pacing back and forth in front of the window, then the wall map, then the door. He opened the blinds, then the window. He took off his jacket, put it on again, had his hand on the doorknob as if he was about to leave four times. He hadn't spent many nights at home since Bella had gone, especially as her promised return had drawn near, but she didn't know that, of course.

"She might come to the loft first," he said.

She'll go where you are, you know, Charlie didn't bother to verbalize much with Edward. Especially after a long day like this one. But Edward knew he was right, and that he was just trying to give himself something to do — even something as mundane as walking home — so he didn't focus on waiting. Two more days, at most, he thought.

The phone rang. Charlie picked up, but the caller said nothing and disconnected the call after thirty seconds. That's a first. It was a waste of funds to make a call for no reason. Charlie made a note in the incident book in case they were somehow charged for it. He had a way with the telemetermaids, usually, but it was always good to document.

A few minutes later, a noise — on the roof? — made both men freeze. Nanoseconds later, the scent hit them. The smiles had barely had time to appear on their faces when the window shook and the fragrant breeze gave way to what it heralded — she was back!

Damn!, Edward thought.

Bella stood before them, in the middle of the room, as if she had left only yesterday, not three years ago. She wore a black leather jumpsuit and some kind of high boot that Edward thought might have looked at home in his human youth. Her brown hair (what shade was it, today? Chestnut maybe. Edward changed his mind on this important question roughly every hour) was pulled back loosely and she wore sunglasses with pinkish-red lenses. Only our Bella would wear sunglasses to make her eyes look more red, Charlie thought. As he had the thought, she pushed the lenses back onto the top of her head.

Edward smiled at the vision before him and opened his arms. "Hi, guys," she said, almost shy, before crashing into his embrace. They kissed for a long time, with his arms wrapped around her small frame and her fingers looped in his belt, until Charlie coughed quietly.

"Hi Dad," Bella said, leaning back from the kiss and around Edward's body to look at his slightly wrinkled, grinning face and his tall frame gently resting against the far wall.

"Nice to see you, Bells," he said and waved with his fingers.

"Now, Mrs. Cullen," Edward said, grabbing her by her forearms and turning her around so that her back was flush against him. "You were getting us worried."

Bella huffed. "I said I'd be back for my birthday, and I'm even early!"

"Or really, really late, depending on your perspective…" Edward kissed the back of her neck.

"It's not my fault that our client was completely wrong about the size of both the coven and the militia down there!"

"Two years wrong?" Edward tried to keep his tone light, but he felt himself getting edgy. Something was pulling at the edge of her shield, he could also feel.

"Yes! But I am happy to report that both the coven and the militia are now sufficiently taken care of that the client has seen fit to give us a nice bonus. We should check at the bank tomorrow." Bella felt Edward trying to see through her shield. Now was not the time for that; she'd have to let him keep trying.

"We will, especially since we'll be going there anyway," Edward said. Bella felt the concern he was trying to hide in his nuzzling, and turned to face him, grabbing his face with both hands. Charlie watched as she stared directly into his eyes with a fierce intensity, and saw Edward as he took a small step back, almost tripping over his own feet. Pretty sure I'm glad I don't read minds right now.

"That's for damn sure, old man." Edward said with a short laugh.

"What's this about the bank?" Bella said as she crossed to the wall map. She caught a lingering human scent from the chair. "A new case?"

Edward spent a few minutes running through the details with her. She listened while she placed metal pins in Louisiana, Alabama, the Cayman Islands, and Texas. "Glad we can cross those off the list," she said brightly.

"Not much fun?" Charlie asked.

"I have no desire to ever experience a swamp again. Or an alligator. Really nasty fighters, and they taste worse than anything except fish. Let's leave it at that for now," she paused, as if she had more to say and thought better of it. "Hey Dad, do you have any stored? That human scent is making me a bit thirsty."

"Sure, Bells," Charlie gestured to Edward, who extracted yet another A+ can from the cooler and tossed it in a beautiful arc to Bella. "They've got this amazing gizmo now, so it tastes like it's moving, and even warms it up a bit!" He beamed at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Dad, they have circulator cans in Louisiana. It's not like I've been on Mars all this time!" She took a long drink and smacked her lips in satisfaction.

Charlie was suitably sheepish. "What do I know? I've never been down there. And it didn't sound like they had much in the way of technology anyway…"

"OK, Dad. Sorry." She might be the Black Swan, but she's still my little girl in so many ways…

As if to prove his unspoken point, Bella suddenly burst into a fit of giggles. "Well, I'm sure you have lots of questions, I know I have a ton of questions for you both, like for starters why are there a bunch of giant pictures of my son-in-law smiling like an idiot everywhere — and lots of other catching up to do — " she glanced up at Edward, who winked, "but I've been very rude. I've got a big surprise!"

Bella was the one who hated surprises, so this must be something, Edward thought, relieved that this, surely, would explain the strain he felt around her shield. She walked to the window, reached her hand out, and snapped twice. With a whoosh, four hands appeared on the sill, and then two red-eyed vampires, a man and a woman appearing to be in their late twenties, both with short, light brown hair and light canvas jackets, climbed into the office.

"Peter and Charlotte!" Edward was genuinely surprised. Charlie offered the two his hand.

"Charlie Swan! We've heard so much about you!" cooed the female.

"I'm afraid I can't say the same…"

"Of course not! We've been nomads for the longest time, haven't seen the Cullens since that little pickle with the old Volturi ages ago."

This part of his daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter's existence was pretty fuzzy for Charlie, but he remembered some story about a "cloud of witnesses" who came to save Nessie's life. Bella visibly startled at what Charlotte said, though, and cast a look at the two newcomers which was impossible to miss. Never mind, Charlie thought, and continued his chat.

"You were witnesses?"

"That's right," the male nodded. "When Bella ran into us outside of Baton Rouge, she was very persuasive. It was a lot of fun taking down those crazy militiamen. And she even convinced us to give settled life a try."

Edward would have given anything to interpret Bella's pinched, anxious expression. She was shielding Peter and Charlotte, too. No wonder he'd felt the strain. Did she know she was doing it? She was so powerful these days, he couldn't always be sure how conscious she was with extending or lowering the shield. Now wasn't the time; there would be plenty of time for that later.

"So you've come to GF for good, then?" Charlie seemed to find the new folks very congenial. But he wondered why he couldn't read them, too.

Peter nodded, draping his arm around Charlotte. "Actually I've just agreed to take over at Type ABO, down on 47th, you know it?"

Edward and Charlie chuckled. "We're occasional visitors there these days."

"Excellent! I've always wanted to run a bar — even before my change. This was an opportunity I couldn't resist." Edward wasn't sure he like the way Peter was smiling at Bella, but Bella seemed unperturbed. In fact, she looked a little bored, if anything. Suddenly an image of their bedroom projected itself with great force into his mind — their bedroom as it was three years ago, that is. Perhaps it was time to make polite excuses and head back home. At that realization, Edward looked up and noticed that he was being stared at. How long had he been lost in that vision? He glanced at Bella, whose tight-lipped smile and sparkling eyes gave away nothing.

"Sorry, what was that?" he asked. Charlotte giggled a little. She said, "I was just saying that we'd be very happy to help out on this new case Charlie was talking about."

"Oh! Yes. We're definitely going to need a plan and a lot of ears to the ground. And boots on the ground. Something very serious is going on."

"More serious than a vampire cult and a militia with rocket launchers waging a Hatfield-McCoyesque feud?" Edward didn't remember Charlotte being so sarcastic before. Perhaps Bella had been rubbing off on her. Bella now looked even grumpier in the direction of Charlotte, but the other vampire was at the very least pretending not to notice.

"Well, it could be very big," Charlie jumped in, seeing Edward appear to go into another daze, "if some of the possible explanations are true, we're talking serious corruption at the very least. Now, that's nothing new, but if there's a serial killer being protected by the government, or the police, then we can't trust anyone."

"A serial killer?" Peter furrowed his brow. "I thought you said you talked to a live human today. I can sort of smell him."

"Yeah, this guy survived. But I bet you that others didn't. The problem is knowing where to start."

Bella looked at her father. "Unfortunately, I think I know exactly where to start on this. Jacob's here, isn't he?"

Charlie sighed. "He's not only here, he's running the Interspecies Council. Hard to believe."

"And Ren?"

"Ness— Ren isn't with him. Last time we heard from her she was staying in Senhor de Bonhim for now. Jacob's not been very forthcoming with us about what's going on." Edward emerged from his reverie to share this. Might as well get some of the unpleasant catching-up out of the way.

"Well, I know how I'll be starting this case tomorrow then. You guys can handle the bank. P and C can set up at Type ABO and we'll come by and figure out a plan of attack once we've got you settled in there." Back less than an hour and ready to give orders, Charlie thought at Edward. I guess she's gotten used to having her own way after all that time down south. Edward only had to raise one brow at that to hear, Who're we kidding, she's always been used to that. True though his fatherly musings may have been, Edward was once again convinced that there was more going on in Bella's take-charge attitude that just her ever-increasing confidence in command. "P and C"? "We've got you settled"? Something had happened in Louisiana that made Bella feel almost responsible for these two nomads, decades older than she. And she didn't want him to know what it was.

Peter and Charlotte said their goodbyes, and headed out to the University grounds, where they said they had found a "good deal" on a "fixer-upper" fraternity house. Charlie then actually, dramatically, yawned, which made Bella laugh and punch her dad in the arm. It was nice to see them act like father and daughter, Edward thought. But the sight only made him think of his own daughter, so far away, with whom he had never felt able to have that kind of light-hearted, fun relationship. It might be a strange sight for other vampires to see a parent-child bond amongst their kind, even seeming deviant or unnatural to some, but Edward would never take Bella from Charlie. Never again, anyway.

Charlie announced then that he would stay the night in the office and take a dawn patrol, as he'd intended to do that morning. He gestured at the door.

"You kids run along home now!" He said, hugging Bella goodbye and nodding at Edward. "I'll see you tomorrow grey and early."

19.30

They made their way home via the rooftops. Not only was this a more efficient route than threading their way at human speed through the streets, but it also provided them with some privacy in which to begin their more pleasant catching-up. Few citizens were disturbed — though one building's chimney did lose a few bricks. The rooftop route, though it allowed them to avoid the human district entirely, also was the closest thing Grand Forks had to a scenic vista. They stopped for a moment and looked out over the small river as it extended down into the mixed University neighborhood. A few lights flickered in the low-rises, humans in their houses, each small group clustering around a compact nuclear generator which itself gave off an almost cheerful glow. The vampire habitations had less need for lights, of course, but a telltale sign was a lamp in an unusual shade — infrared and ultraviolet were the most popular. Edward had been glad, selfishly he believed, when the city had vetoed any high-rises along the river. It may not be natural beauty, exactly, but at least it was an uninterrupted stretch where you could see ahead of you more than a few meters. It was a good escape to have, especially on a Sunday.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Bella teased, poking him gently in the ribs as she shrugged back into her suit.

"That joke never gets old, does it?"

"Nope. Just like us!" Her smile was radiant, but Edward knew, just knew, that she was hiding something. He might as well try to get her to open up now, and then they could enjoy the rest of the night as he had planned. And he had been planning for this night, since the last time he had seen his wife, over two years ago, when he had finally located her in Alabama and she had insisted he let her finish the job alone. He had had many long nights at home or on patrol to imagine what he was going to do, just as soon —

His distraction was one again interrupted by poking. Bella had picked up a metal rod, carelessly thrown again the roof edge, and was gently jutting it against his lower back. He turned to face her and in the same motion swept her up into his arms in a "bridal" carry. She dropped the rod and looked at him, and looked at him with eyes both black with excitement and narrowed with apprehension.

"Edward?" she said, not exactly a question.

"What's going on, Bella?"

"I don't know what you mean." She smiled and ran her hands through her hair. Her mind, safely locked away from Edward, began to swirl with phrases and words she had tried to put aside — permanently if possible. Death…birth…lords of the earth…flesh…blood…the new world…truth will flow…build a new order…

Edward held onto her tightly and leapt to the next rooftop, which had a set of deck-chairs. The owners were human and sleeping soundly, they wouldn't mind. Bella's annoyance grew on her face; Edward was being shy now? her eyebrow implied.

"Obviously I could tell that you were shielding Peter and Charlotte in the office. Charlie noticed it too."

Bella nodded. "I guess I've just gotten used to it over the past year of working with them. It's kind of second nature at this point."

That in itself was troubling to Edward. What was she doing that had her — that had three experienced vampires — needing constant shielding? But there was no way that was the whole explanation. Bella was looking away from him, her eyes, still black, scanning the horizon, her back tensed. Everything about her posture screamed, keep away from this.

It was getting to be too much to endure. "You can tell me the whole story of what happened to you down there another time. But I'm not convinced it's just routine, love. I can tell there's something more — I saw how Peter was looking at you — I didn't like it — if he did anything to you I promise I will end him right now — "

Bella threw her head back and laughed. Not a nervous giggle, either, but a full, throaty laugh. Edward's indignation was interrupted then with something else, but he was not going to let himself be distracted again, not until he got an answer.

"God, Edward, really? Trust me, if you are worried about my chastity, Peter is not the one of those two you should be keeping an eye on. Now, if it was your own virtue you were protecting…" She laughed again, unable to help herself at the confused expression on Edward's face. It was a rare visitor. "If you could see your face right now, honey, you would sulk for days. You look like someone just kicked your puppy."

Edward shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. He shifted from foot to foot, picked an imaginary piece of lint from his jacket. A genuinely uncomfortable Edward was a sight to behold. Bella tried to remember a time since she had changed when she had seen him look like this, and couldn't.

"I was under the impression," he said deliberately, "that Peter and Charlotte were mated." He wrapped Bella, who was still resting against the protective railing, in his arms and squeezed. It was a comfort-seeking gesture, but Bella decided that he would have to wait.

"Oh, they are," she said.

"But…"

She shook her head. "Just because they are mated, it doesn't mean they don't have any other… interests. Or that they don't indulge themselves from time to time." She placed a hand on Edward's chest proactively. "But not with me. They — both of them — found out right away that I was a one-vampire vampire."

"But…" Bella's condescending smile was infuriating but somehow still intoxicating to him. "But if they are mates, how can they do that?"

"To be mated doesn't mean the same thing to every couple, for vampires or humans."

"I didn't think — "

"Two hundred years of mind-reading dirty lusty vampires and you never encountered one mate thinking naughty thoughts about someone else? Even Emmett, for heaven's sake?"

"Well, I suppose I never thought it was more than just, you know, idle thoughts, if they were truly mated."

"I'd say to ask Peter and Charlotte all about it, but I don't want Peter to get the wrong idea!" She issued a gentle shove and caused her still-stunned husband to stumble backwards a few steps.

"It's bad enough that you're a mind-reader and couldn't figure this one out. It's like you never read any of my books!"

Now she was really smiling. She took several long strides and jumped up onto the railing in a crouch, holding onto the bar with one hand.

"And you promised me you'd read every one! Hell, in THE PASSIONS OF ETERNITY there's a few orgies, and one very complicated threesome!" She jumped then, clearly two full buildings before Edward realized what she was doing. He caught up with her thirty seconds and a half-mile later, just a few buildings down from their loft. She gasped when he lifted her up once again, this time swinging her around onto his back. Her legs wrapped around him, crossing in front at the ankles, and she took a moment to run her hand up his neck and into his hair. "You promised!" she said again, leaning forward against his shoulders and pouting dramatically.

"I tried to read them, Bella, I swear I did. But there's only so many 'engorged members' and 'heaving bosoms' a man can take, even if he's eternally seventeen."

That earned him a painful smack to his bicep. "I'll have you know there was not a single "engorged" anything in any of my books. I'll confess to a heaving bosom or two, but only in the historicals!"

Now they were laughing together as Edward cleared the distance until they were on the roof of their building. With great care he untangled Bella from him and lifted her chin in his hand. "Honey, we're home!" he whispered. He held out his hand and she took it, and they both bounced on the balls of their feet and dropped five stories into the alley. It seemed like the right thing to do, this first night, to go in the front door. And so they did. They even walked up all four flights of stairs, at human speed, only pausing every minute or so to re-acquaint themselves with the wall, or in one case, with the cold metal stairs. But finally they arrived at their own door. It wasn't much, but it was home.

Bella unlocked, swung the door open and sped inside. Before Edward had crossed the threshold he heard her squeal.

"What is this monstrosity doing in my bedroom?"

Edward joined her quickly and chuckled. "Well, you may recall what happened to our previous bed the night you left."

The image Bella pressed into his mind at that moment made it clear she did remember, well.

"And so you replaced it with this — thing — to punish me?" She gestured at the black metal studded headboard and black sheets. Edward sighed. There was a time that she would have been worryingly grateful to be given a straw-covered cot by him. Too much time in Cullentopia would wear down even the most determined non-materialist, though, and when the opinions of Alice on proper decor were drilled into one's head for several decades, there was no helping it.

"Not on purpose, love. But I have a feeling it's going to suffer a similar fate as the last one. And I promise you can pick the next bed!"

At that she turned to him, grabbed his hands, and nodded. Let's see if we can get started on that, right about now.

And so they did. And Edward very quickly forgot the fleeting feeling that he hadn't quite won the skirmish he had thought he was fighting.

11 September 2162

06.30

"This damn computer is misbehaving!"

The modem made a whirring noise and then *BONK*, it refused to connect.

"At least some things don't change…" Bella whined slightly. Banging the top of the case, as perhaps could be expected, did not improve matters. I never appreciated the glory of fiber optics when I had the chance, she projected to Edward, who was reading in the bedroom. She heard him muttering something about 21st century over-reliance on technology, a rant she could safely recite from memory, and gave the case one more good smack with the heel of her hand. *PING* finally!

The web information was fairly scarce on gang activity at the moment, but there were a few promising reports of a group of men and three women wearing white dresses spotted leaving GF Limits North at 05.00.

"Edward," she called. He was next to her in a blink. "Can we do some misbehaving of our own?"

"I thought that's what we have been doing, love…" he winked and rubbed her shoulder, which had made a resounding acquaintance with the floor lamp an hour before.

"Well, only according to some more strict traditions. In most Western traditions and certainly Eastern traditions, our rite of marriage has us sufficiently covered for such activities, I'd say."

"Ungh…" Why had she felt the need to do that PhD in Religion? And how did she manage to make it seem so sensual?

"Glad to see you agree," she smiled up at him and pointed at the screen.

"All our marital non-misbehavior is making me hungry. This gang sighting up the line looks promising…"

Edward read the report. It was vague, like most information from scouts and other intrepids up the line, but if it wasn't accurate, they'd almost certainly find something else nearby to catch their interest.

"Let's go." And they were off.

The best place to watch from was where the defunct monorail line had veered off the path of Rte 29 and crossed the North Marais. When they had built the monorail that had been at a junction with 57th St, but there was no sign of a street here now. The rail lines buckled in three parts, and the stream filled in the gaps, while the rest of the area had been allowed to grow wild or burn or do what it otherwise wanted. At this point, there was a lot of tall grass, two brave trees, three shacks and a great pile of medium-sized rocks. A typical "settlement" around these parts, though this one looked like they might have some stolen electrics so they had to be getting power from somewhere.

Bella understood, on some level, why a certain kind of vampire would seek out such a place to make their abode. The thrill of the chase was the most important thing to some. However, she had very rarely encountered non-humans on her many visits. Edward claimed to have met with a few, and insisted that it was just that the vamps cleared out if they saw her coming. The fact that she did, repeatedly and regularly, find humans living up the line without protection instead of doing whatever they could to get into GF, or to get their block lifted, was a constant mystery. She rarely gave them a chance to explain themselves, of course, so perhaps sometime she should be a bit patient and let one of them get monologuing at her. They so often wanted to, she could tell that much. Oh yes, tell it all to me: how you're not a villain, just because you like to steal, rape, and murder, that you have a need to destroy the good things that remain in this world, you had such a difficult childhood, you got kicked out of school, that Reloc recruiter laughed in your face…

This morning, she and Edward perched on one of the fallen rail line sections, about 20 feet up and behind some fallen tree branches. They were unlikely to be noticed unless someone looked way up. And humans never looked up. They only ever looked at what was right in front of them, if that. But even if they were noticed, it wouldn't really matter.

"They're coming," Edward spoke in the still silence. Nothing was visible yet. "I hear maybe five men? Also I think three women. But their thoughts are very odd."

"Ice? Some other drug?" From the appearance of the nearest shack, at least some kind of drug would seem likely, if not necessary.

"No, I don't think so… The women seem to think that they are with vampires. Or that they are going to meet some vampires…"

Bella let out a soundless laugh at that. Little did they know. Or could they know? She asked in her mind, and Edward shook his head.

"The men aren't thinking about vampires at all. Just — what you would expect."

Then they saw them. Five large men in tattered jeans and dirty T-shirts. The men were moving at a measured pace, their heartbeats unnaturally even and extremely slow. They were leading three women dressed as if for a virgin sacrifice: long, clean white dresses, their hair down, barefoot. The women's hands were bound with cloth and they wore blindfolds of the same bright white as their dresses. They would stumble occasionally, and one woman fell to her knees a few hundred feet away.

"Get up, you whore!" one of the men, the largest, shouted, and kicked her in the back.

Bella tensed to strike, but Edward held out his hand. "Wait. Something's off."

Rather than crying or screaming, the fallen woman and her two companions giggled and cooed. "Ooh, you're so strong. Will we be strong like you?" one of the standing women asked, rubbing against the back of one of the men, who pushed her away ungently. The woman got up again and they continued to walk unsteadily toward the shack. One of the men took off at a jog and went inside the house, coming out almost immediately with a knife and some metal contraption.

"What's going on, Edward?"

"The women think these guys are vampires who are going to change them."

What? But how could they think that? Even if the men had been vampires, it was illegal to change anyone outside of a B-Clinic except in extraordinary circumstances. Everyone knew that, and knew the consequences if you were caught. Either these women were incredibly stupid, or there was more to it.

Edward could only shake his head. Nothing in the men's thoughts could explain the women's delusions.

"Let's take care of this. I'll get the attention of the men, you get the women out of the way and untie them. Maybe ask them what on earth they're thinking…"

Bella bristled next to him, but didn't voice an objection. But he heard her thought, projected pretty forcefully. I almost forgot your everlasting little problem with me taking on the boys…

"There are five of them, Bella!"

"Piece of cake!" she said, and jumped. She didn't deviate from the plan too much, only breaking the back of one of the men before she had pushed all three women out of the clearing and dragged them behind a pile of railroad ties. Edward grabbed a hold of the two largest men and smashed their skulls together, dropping them next to the one with the broken back. One of the two who remained standing, thin and wiry, unwisely charged at Edward, leading with his arms. Before he knew what happened, Edward had grabbed his wrists in his left hand and twisted him around to face the other miscreant. With his right hand he grabbed the top of his head, bending it forcefully to the side — not forceful enough to break his neck, but enough to expose the jugular, nicely pulsing, right under his mouth. Edward looked up into the eyes of the fifth man, who stood stock still, the knife in his hand pointing forward, the metal contraption — which Edward now saw was a set of metal fangs — dropping to the ground.

"Please, man, don't! We don't mean anything by this! We just wanted to play a bit — we like you guys, can't you see?" He gestured with the knife at the fangs. That was that. Bella appeared behind him at that moment, and kicked him in the back, just as he had kicked the women. But unlike his kick, this one was forceful enough to break his spine and shatter his pelvis. Bella mirrored Edward's actions, grabbing the man's head and twisting it forcefully to the side. They held each other's gaze, red eyes gleaming, and bit, and drank, and drank their fill.

When they had finished with those two, both very large, they'd had enough, and snapped the necks of the wounded men.

"I'll drag these wastes of space into the shack. Someone will find them eventually," Edward offered. Just then, a huge but scraggly cat bolted from under the steps of the shack and ran straight to the largest man's body. The cat didn't seem to be deterred by the vampiric presence, and pressed a cautious paw against the blood pooling around the man's face in the dirt.

"Kitty will eat well for a while, looks like." Edward said with a smile as he began to hide the bodies.

"Did you get anything out of them?" Bella asked.

"Nothing useful. They found the girls at a bar, it looked like a human bar, and told them they were vampires looking for a good time. I don't know why the women believed them…"

"While you're taking care of these guys, I'm going to talk to the women."

Edward stopped. "They didn't run away when you untied them?"

"I didn't untie them yet."

"But — "

"Don't worry. Come join us when you're done here."

Bella was back with the three women less than two minutes after she had left them. They all remained exactly as before, seated against the metal pile, hands bound and blindfolds on.

"Ooh, she's back," cooed the one who had fallen. She was the youngest, looking about sixteen. Bella practically spat with disgust and yanked off the blindfolds, crouching down to their eye level.

"What the hell, girls?" she asked.

"You ruined our — fun," said the one who looked oldest, about thirty. But she seemed unsure, and kept her gaze fixed far in the distance.

"What so-called fun did you think was about to happen?"

"You know," said the sixteen-year-old, shaking her long blond hair.

"I definitely do not know," Bella growled angrily, and the three girls all broke into smiles and giggled.

"What is wrong with you?" Bella grabbed the girl by the forearms and shook her. The girl looked into her bright eyes, gleaming red from the feed, for a few long seconds and tipped her head back, exposing her neck.

"You can do it instead, if you didn't want to let those boys have us…"

Bella abruptly stood up, and saw Edward exiting the shack, with no corpses visible. She waved frantically at him and he was there.

The girls burst into more giggles and coos at the sight of him.

"Are you sure they're not on drugs?" Edward closed his eyes and pressed his hand to the neck of the eldest one. He bent down and grabbed her chin, looking into her eyes. Where she had refused to look at Bella, she stared right at Edward, bringing her hand up to her neck as she did so. She fiddled with something on a chain, and then, as if in shame, looked away again.

Edward noticed her jumpy demeanor, but all he could see in her brain was images of vampires biting humans, repeating on a loop. She seemed afraid, which didn't match her evident intentions. And she seemd far less excited by the whole adventure than the other two. All of her emotions seemed dampened by something — but nothing he could detect. "Well, the only guarantee is taste, but I'm not getting anything druggy from their brains. Not really getting anything from their brains, though…"

Bella lifted the teenager to her feet, and then thought better of it and dangled her about a foot off the ground. "Tell me what you thought was going to happen with those men. Right now!"

The girl's eyes bugged out, and she collapsed to the ground, fainted. She woke up a moment later, and smiled again.

The one who hadn't spoken yet cleared her throat. She was very skinny, her veins visible on her pale skin. "Um… we thought we were going to um… have a good time and that that would um…"

Edward turned away and retched. Bella suddenly realized what this was all about. These girls were willing sacrifices after all, just not in the way they thought. They had wanted to become vampires, and somehow these meatheads had convinced them that they would make it happen…

Bella was not sure what to do with these girls, but she couldn't resist destroying their illusion. "You know that's a myth, right? There's no venom in semen. You can't be changed that way." At the word semen the two younger girls giggled again.

Oh my God, she thought at Edward, only then realizing that he had moved away about thirty feet and was pacing back and forth, agonizing about something.

"But that's not the point, anyway," Bella continued, bringing all three women to their feet.

"It didn't have to be, um, that way," the skinny one continued. "We just that that, um, sex with a vampire would be a fun last human experience!"

Bella actually cackled at that. For a moment she wondered if these idiot girls had actually recognized her, but she was sure Edward would have seen that.

"It's not — usually — all that fun." The younger women all looked very disappointed at that. The eldest only sighed. "Mostly because it kills you!" It looked like that wasn't such a big deal for these ladies. Bella gave up that tactic.

"Never mind all that. Girls, those men were. Not. Vampires."

"What?" they gasped and sputtered.

"Those guys were 100% human idiot."

"No!" the older woman shook her head repeatedly as if to ward off the truth. "They were so huge! And they were cold-skinned. And so huge!"

"I don't suppose you checked for a heartbeat."

"At church they say that it's the cold that's the easiest way to tell. But I didn't hear a heartbeat…" Their hearts had been going slow; perhaps they had found a good drug for making cold skin and slow heartbeat. Rumors of such drugs swirled occasionally.

Edward was immediately intrigued by this explanation for other reasons. "At church? You met those boys at church?" He was not going to believe that; he'd seen them meet at a bar.

"No, no," more giggles. "That's just how Pastor Dominic talks about vamps. 'The cold-skinned ones' he says. 'Humans and the cold-skinned ones should be friends, not enemies.'"

Now we're getting somewhere, Bella thought loudly. The Blood-is-Lifers making even more trouble than usual. But then she put her shield up quickly as she felt the words coming to the surface again: all that will remain of the life of the flesh… the blood of the lower creatures…not damned but true life… She shook herself and the words fled, but left her grim. She needed to be away from here.

"OK, well, girls, next time, check for a heartbeat. For more than three seconds! If he's got one, don't believe him!" She flashed a threatening grin, grabbed Edward's hand and pulled. He understood the signal, and took off after her at his top speed.

"We shouldn't have just left them there." Back at home, and several hours later, Edward was pensive. He sat in the computer chair, idly twirling a pen in his hands.

"They'll stumble home eventually. And probably get themselves drunk by a real vampire tomorrow." Bella lay on the brown leather sofa, leafing through a well-loved copy of a Jules Verne novel.

That's my Bella, always thinking the best of people, Edward thought with a visible grimace.

"Aren't you worried they'll tell someone what they saw?"

"They were blindfolded the whole time!"

"Not afterwards."

"We didn't do anything illegal! What're they going to say? We were in vamp territory. Vampires vampired. News at 10." Bella chuckled to herself at her old-fashioned joke, but was surprised when Edward laughed heartily.

"Not yet, but soon!"

"What?"

Bella's shock was a painful reminder that they had so much to tell each other about the last two or three years.

"Oh, of course, you wouldn't have heard. They've finally got the 'national' network ready to launch up here. First broadcast should be in the next few days, a week maybe."

"That's good. Although I'll believe it when I see that thing actually make a picture." She waved dismissively at the wall-screen, purchased five years before, when the GF "people's" station went up. They kept it off most of the time though. There was never anything interesting on.

"But what I mean is, if these girls go to 'church' and say they met up with the Black Swan, I don't like what might happen…"

"Oh no, I might have to sign some autographs! Poor me." Bella laughed. It had been nice to be away from vamp-fans for a while, but they were really just a minor inconvenience. "Anyway, you'd have been able to tell if they recognized me." That was true, there hadn't been any sparks of recognition in their minds. But maybe they'd see her picture somewhere (God knows there would probably be some somewhere in the church building) and connect the dots… Sometimes he still had a hard time with the fact that Bella was comfortable with her reputation, and unashamed, even of the outright lies and myth-making that swirled around her. There was a time when it would have horrified her beyond words. And Edward too. But that was not the world they lived in now. It was better this way, it really was. Maybe in a few more decades he would be used to it all. It was the side-effects of the Way Things Were that he'd never get accustomed to, like this so-called church. He wondered…

"I worry about that church," he said aloud, "I always have. It's not right, how they pervert…I wonder if they might even be involved with our case. We should definitely check them out — from afar."

"Yeah, honey, that's a good idea. They're very shadow-y, in every way. I wouldn't put it past them to shelter a vamp serial killer. They might at least know something. I'd like to give this Pastor Dominic a piece of my mind, too! 'Cold-skinned ones', what does he think he is, some werewolf shaman?"

At the mention of werewolves, they both made a similar face. Bella groaned, and sat up.

"I guess I better get ready. Our Interspecies Council president won't want to be kept waiting…"

"Make sure to invite him to your birthday party!" Edward said with a smirk as Bella's eyed went wide. Oh, he knew he'd suffer for this later…


	4. 3: Call of the Wild

**[Content Warning: slight graphic violence]**

11 September 2162

11.00

The Interspecies Council building was located in the far south-east of the city, on Cherry Street. It was a low-slung, but still impressive, facade in green slate and marble. But Jacob Black, Interspecies Council president, had wanted his office to look more "approachable". He decorated it (with some help from his sister-in-law on a rare Stateside visit) in pinewood, with masks from the Amazon and Quiluete art on the walls. The furniture was similarly informal: dark pine chairs and a used-looking leather armchair for the visitors, and a massive swivel-chair behind his equally massive desk.

He still felt out of proportion to the room, even with the carefully-scaled furniture. But his advisors assured him that his "presence" was an asset, not a problem. He was sold to the public as "down-to-earth" and "easy to get along with" as well as powerful and charismatic. He maybe even believed it now. He kind of liked seeing his face, burnished and smiling, on the council posters. Whatever he might normally believe, though, was irrelevant for his morning appointment. When the secretary announced that Bella Cullen was coming to see him at 11, he had immediately gone into his office and locked the door. He knew this day would come eventually; Edward had made it clear to him when he had first arrived in the city that he was going to have to account for himself once she returned.

At first, he had expected Edward to confront him by himself, but for two years now, they had exchanged nothing more than the occasional nod in the city hall or some other town meeting, and otherwise he had seen nothing of his father-in-law, as he could never really think of him. Charlie he'd seen a little more often, usually at some police function, but even the old fellow didn't seem inclined to make him talk. Now, Jacob realized, it was because they knew the only person he would willingly speak to was Bella. The fact that Edward and Charlie could force the truth out of him and chose not to made him even more scared for what Bella would do to him once she came to see him.

The photo of Nessie on his desk seemed to be nothing more than another face of accusation, staring up at him with her mother's human eyes. Some nights when he closed his eyes he still saw Bella as she was, blushing and slipping on the ice, smiling and innocent. He'd been certain that those kind of thoughts would be long gone by now, but ever since he'd come to GF they'd only increased. Nessie knew their story, and insisted repeatedly that she didn't care, that it was pointless to think about. But Jacob was never sure she meant it. Especially now.

The phone rang. He spoke briefly to a shopkeeper who was convinced that vampires were stealing from his store. When Jacob pointed out that vampires would have no use for human food, the man had the good grace to admit that he had only assumed it was vampires because "everyone knew" that the VPolice would eliminate any human thieves. But at least this one was able to be reassured. Some were not. This was becoming a real PR problem. It would need to go on the next IC meeting agenda. If the citizens here couldn't trust the VPolice, the fragile state of peace was doomed. Ugh, why had he ever thought it was a good idea to take this job?

His personal planner buzzed, reminding him of that very reason. A message from Reuben? Could be important. Not more important than Bella though. Unless the reason Bella had come to see him had something to do with Reuben as well? God, he hoped not. He didn't look at the message for now. Whatever Reuben wanted could wait.

"Bella Cullen's here," the secretary's voice hissed through the intercom. The door hissed in response to his nod, and she walked in. Jacob stood, projecting confidence as best he could, but bracing for impact all the same. But he was surprised to find himself enveloped in a fierce hug rather than flat on his back with a dislocated shoulder.

"Jacob, it's good to see you," she said.

He swallowed, still sensing a trick. "It's really nice to see you, too, Bells. I hear you messed up that crazy militia real good."

"I did! And, you know, plenty of crazy bloodsuckers to go with."

Jacob couldn't help but laugh. He'd long ago trained himself out of using such slurs as "bloodsucker" and "leech," but Bella had never been shy in using the terms herself. Even when it made Nessie roll her eyes and mutter about her "embarrassingly old-fashioned" mother.

Releasing her grip on him, Bella settled herself in the armchair and tucked her legs up, sitting on them. He recognized the human-style posture as her subconscious signal that she was not here to attack, and reciprocated the gesture by pulling up on of his sturdier chairs next to her, straddling it and resting his head on his massive forearms. We animals are so complicated, Jacob thought.

For a little while, neither creature in the room moved or spoke. The atmosphere was both comfortable and staticky, like absolutely anything might happen.

"So are you going to explain how you convinced the good people of Grand Forks to give you a position of responsibility?" Bella smiled, but there was definitely an edge to her eyes. They seemed redder than Jacob remembered.

"Um…" Jacob wasn't really sure where to start. "The Mayor contacted me, all the way out in Brazil. He said that there was a position I was uniquely suited for, and would I care to serve the people — all the people? For… reasons, I kind of decided to come right away. I had no idea you wouldn't be here when I arrived!"

"Edward told me he scared you a bit. I'd say sorry, but I'm really just sorry I missed it."

Jacob nodded, and tried to laugh, but it came our more like a cough. "Sure, sure," he said.

"OK, Jacob, you've got to do better than that. Why is my daughter not with you?"

Jacob dropped his chin to his chest and rested his forehead on his arms. After a few seconds, Bella realized he was crying. What…

"What's happened between you, Jacob? Edward says Ren won't say anything about it to him. She just says you decided to have some time apart while you were in this gig. But I know that's not how…" She trailed off, and Jacob sprung to his feet, kicking the chair all the way into the far wall. Good thing this room is soundproof.

"Bella, I swear, I didn't hurt her. I swear I would never hurt her."

"I believe you." She stood too, offering her hand to him. "But I can't understand why you would leave her. I was so sure that the only benefit of the whole imprinting fiasco was that you would never do that to her!"

Jacob was shaking his head, as if trying to expel water from his ears. "No, no, no. Bella, I… she asked me to go, she asked me to leave for a while."

That was not what Bella had been expecting to hear, Jacob was sure of that. She reacted instinctively, retreating to the window and refusing to meet his gaze. She stared out at the rainy street a few floors below and didn't move for minutes.

"Do you know why she asked you?" she finally asked, still looking away.

Jacob sighed heavily. "I have my suspicions."

She turned to look at him, cocking an eyebrow. He wasn't going to get away with just that. But he couldn't bring himself to say what he knew. Or what he was planning to do about it. He opened his mouth several times, but he just couldn't.

The minutes ticked by, and Bella didn't move. Jacob went back to his desk and sat down.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I've got work to do — "

"Actually, the reason I came to see you today isn't even about our screwed-up family. It is actually work-related."

Bella was already working on a new case? He'd hoped to have a few days to try to work up to the conversations they needed to have, but if she was going to be running around on business, he wasn't sure how he would be able to.

"What is it, then, Detective Bells?" He smiled, hoping to lighten the mood a little.

She came back and sat down again, this time in one of the wooden chairs.

"Do you know anything about a serial killer who's leaving drained corpses in the human district?"

"What? Of course not! That's ridiculous!" Jacob was if anything even more flustered now. Surely he would have been briefed if something like that was happening.

"OK, OK!" Bella gave him a few details — not everything of course — and asked if he found out anything to get in touch at the office.

"But I don't understand," Jacob asked as they stood in the doorway, "why do you think it's a serial killer? There's just the one guy, and he's alive…"

"Maybe it's not a serial, but I don't think this guy was meant to survive. And I don't trust the VPolice nearly as far as I can throw them, but they are right that this is no standard sloppy vamp work. Could be a human imitating a vamp of course, but to what end? And if it is a vamp, then what was he doing?"

Jacob nodded, and promised to keep his ear (and nose) to the ground. He opened the door to see Bella out, only to be surprised by the large frame of a human male, with curly grey hair and a very well-tailored suit.

"Oh! My apologies, Mr. Mayor. Bella, this is Mayor Sendall. He's been very supportive of my work here at the IC. We have a meeting at noon to discuss — "

"It is after twelve now, Mr. Black. My apologies for going straight to your office, but your secretary had stepped out for a moment."

"Not a problem, sir. Bella." Jacob nodded, and retreated into the room, feeling chastised from every corner.

Bella stood in front of the Mayor, frankly appraising him. She slipped her rose-colored sunglasses out of her jacket pocket and slid them on before extending her hand.

"Jacob has never been great at social graces," she said, casting a significant look over her shoulder. "I'm Bella Cullen, of Swan and Cullen Investigations. Very nice to meet you, Mayor Sendall. Perhaps we will have a chance to get to know each other better now that I'm back in town more permanently." Throughout this whole speech, the mayor had remained still, staring at her hand. Finally realizing he was supposed to take it, he did so, wincing at the sudden cold and the extremely firm grip.

"Nice — nice to meet you, Bella." I thought vampires never shook hands with humans, he thought.

As she stepped past the mayor, still stuck, a bit stupefied, in the door, she called back over her shoulder again. "Jake, if you have a chance, come to my birthday party on Friday? It's at Type ABO, on f — "

"I know where that is. I'll try to make it." He shook his head. Bella's birthday was in two days. He'd completely forgotten. What disaster would this year's birthday celebration bring?

~*~  
13 September 2162

22.00

The atmosphere at Type ABO was consciously modeled on a human dive bar from the past. It was dingy, sticky and dirty, with smoke in all sorts of flavors lingering in the air. There were several pool tables (made to vamp specifications) and a working jukebox. The bar itself dominated the space: in the center of the room, it allowed the bartenders to have a complete 360 degree view and to cover all the doors. On offer for the patrons was every type of blood legally available, and a few under-the-counter specialties you had to know to ask for. In short, it had become one of the most popular places for law-abiding vampires yearning for a sense of danger. Or a particular breed of cow's blood.

Peter and Charlotte had inherited this decor and decided that it wasn't broke so they wouldn't fix it. A few Louisiana touches were all they added; most notable was a stuffed real alligator, already proving to be quite a conversation piece. Business was booming as news of new ownership brought in even more guests, all species included. When Peter had been told it would be the easiest thing in the world to run this bar he hadn't believed it, but it seemed like it was going to be. Running anything that catered to vampires in GF was a golden ticket, between the curious and relatively wealthy humans and the comfortable, relatively well-socialized vamps. Nothing at all like a b-bar in Baton Rouge — the offer Peter had passed up. He'd be happily comping drinks for Bella's birthday party as a thank you for her strongarm persuasion.

Tonight, there was a relative lull in terms of actual vampire customers. The news that Bella was going to be here might have had something to do with that, though Peter and Charlotte didn't really understand the fear she inspired in so many of the locals. Maybe we'll find out tonight if we keep the drinks flowing, Charlotte thought. She does seem to inspire a lot of storytelling…

She walked in just before ten, bowing to the occasion by wearing a dress: black, tight, and short. Her boots on the other hand were black, shiny and very tall. She was also alone. All eyes turned to her as she strode toward the bar. Good thing Eddie's not here to listen in right now, thought both Charlotte and Peter.

"Can I talk to you guys before the others get here?" she leaned across the bar, grabbing a glass from the clean rack, and settled back to look at the on-tap offerings.

"Sure, hon. What can I get the birthday girl?" Charlotte tossed a towel over her shoulder and reclaimed her glass.

"I'm in the mood for animal I think, it's been so long. A birthday treat! I'll try the mountain lion. I kind of miss it."

"I'd steer clear, actually. I'm not sure it's real mountain lion. I'm think those have been extinct for a few decades."

Bella pouted exaggeratedly. "How about the killer whale then?"

"Good choice!" Charlotte threw her her most dazzling smile. Just good customer service, of course.

Drinks poured, Charlotte and Bella headed to the office in the back, where Peter already waited.

"What's the conference for, Bell? I've already promised not to sing happy birthday…" he said.

"It's about Edward. He knew I was shielding your thoughts the other day."

"You aren't going to tell him?" Charlotte asked, and the way she looked at Peter made it clear what she was thinking. Peter and I tell each other everything.

"It's just — we've got a lot going on right now. This new case, some issues with the family — Jacob and Ren — It's not the right time."

"Whatever you say, Bell," Peter shrugged.

"So you just have to watch your thoughts when he gets here, " Bella said, and they seemed unperturbed. "I sort of accidentally stumbled on a good tactic while Edward and I were discussing why I was shielding you…and it won't trip Charlie's spidey-senses either…"

That was new information to Peter and Charlotte. "Charlie's got a gift too? What a family!" Peter said with a smile.

"He's a — lie detector. I almost said a 'human lie detector'," Bella shook her head.

"So what's our strategy, girl?" Charlotte hopped up onto the back of one of the plush superretro chairs.

"Well, Edward was being his usual jealous self about Peter… he kept insisting he didn't like the way you were looking at me," she smiled at him, "so I may have let him know more about your — non-standard relationship than I meant to. But it could work for us here!"

Peter and Charlotte laughed. "What did you tell him, exactly?"

"I let him know that Peter was — into him. He was a little bit shocked, he is such an Edwardian when it comes to sex…" Bella said, fiddling with a piece of string on her chair. She felt ever so slightly bad making fun of her dear sweet Edward, but he deserved it every now and then.

"And I implied that if he wanted to be jealous, it was Charlotte he should worry about. I'm not completely sure he even registered that though." Charlotte pretended to look offended for a second.

"So are you suggesting what I think you are? That we should be distracting him with our terribly graphic sexual fantasies?"

"More or less. Feel free to be creative. The weirder the better!"

"Don't you think he might get suspicious?"

"He's easily distracted by this sort of thing. I think it'll work."

"OK then, it's a tough job, but someone's got to do it!" Peter jumped up. "Any other birthday requests?"

"Some decent music? And maybe say a quick prayer that this year is an outlier in the Birthday Tradition."

They nodded at that. Having witnessed last year's birthday up close and personal, they were firmly in the Birthday Curse is Real camp. Peter left to go set up, calling out "Hey, Charlie, nice to see you!" as he went. Bella took a deep breath.

"Are you ever going to tell Edward the truth, hon?" Charlotte asked.

"I'm going to have to at some point. I — I just need time to figure out how to do it so he doesn't go into another spiral of self-loathing…"

"I don't understand — it's not like it's his fault that your family is so — uh, special?"

"Please, Charlotte, he can't know. Not right now. I need to figure out what those damn vamps really meant before saying anything. He'll go nuts, you know he will."

Charlotte sighed. Bella knew whereof she spoke on this. "OK, you got it, girl. Happy Birthday!"

The party was in full swing soon. Thoughts of frustration at the stalled progress of the case were successfully put aside as drinks flowed freely. The banks had been a dead end despite repeated visits; McGarry had not been able to remember anything further. But there was an air of determined enjoyment in this bar. Even tomorrow's meeting with the mysterious "pastor Dominic" (scheduled after much effort) wasn't looming in their minds. Charlie was holding court at the bar, talking to some youngish vamps about his days on the VPolice. The young vamps seemed fascinated by his stories, and it amused Bella how they assumed he was so much older than the rest of the vamps here. He never seemed to mind.

"You really don't like to go hunting?" one of the young vamps asked him, incredulously.

"I was always more a fishin' man than a hunter. I don't mind letting the meal come to me," Charlie said, opening his fourth can of A+ emphatically. A blond Viking of a vamp asked, "What was it like when they were still in charge?"

At that Charlie visibly winced. "You'd do better to talk to Bells or Ed about that. I didn't really have much to do with them…"

The blond Viking was a bit abashed. "Really? I just kind of assumed that you were, you know, with them for a while or something…" Vamping someone sure don't cure dumb, Charlie thought loudly at Edward.

For his part, Edward, dressed in an old-fashioned grey suit and red tie, had spent the entire party holding Bella very tightly clasped to his side and looking pained. Her oh so innocent questioning looks were rebuffed with no explanation. It was a challenge to keep a straight face. Peter and Charlotte occasionally winked at her, and she gave them a covert thumbs-up or two when Edward's eyes would go particularly wide.

A few blissfully uneventful hours later, Jacob made an appearance. He was dressed down after work, wearing a tee shirt and jeans, looking every inch the mechanic, but his face was serious, not the open, smiling boy he had been. Greetings were exchanged with Edward in perfunctory fashion before he moved over to speak to Charlie for a minute, his thought drifting over to Edward, He doesn't have to grab her like that, does he still think I'm going to try to take her away with me? Doesn't he understand how I feel for Nessie… Edward resolved to try to do a little better on the Jacob front and relaxed his hold on Bella, waving his son-in-law away from his father-in-law after letting them chat for a few minutes.

"Have you heard anything more about this body?" he asked, studiedly casual.

"Bella," Jacob said, "I thought this was your birthday party! Why are we talking shop?"

Bella shrugged, just happy to see Edward making any sort of conversational effort with Jacob, and took a long drink from her glass. She's forgotten what it even was — definitely O — it was good, though not her favorite flavor. She was getting pretty full.

"Listen, guys, I've really got to run. Happy Birthday, Bells." He said, opening his arms to her for a hug. As he leaned over her shoulder he whispered, "I've got to warn you, they're coming here, my — "

At that moment, the door to the bar, which was up a small flight of wooden stairs, and which locked automatically, flew off its hinges and fell down the stairs into the room, knocking two unfortunate vampires onto their backs. Jacob immediately ran to the doorway, looking rapidly left and right, and then jumped back down, visibly shaking, and ran to the back. Vamps scattered every which way. The next surprise was a giant riot shield, covering the whole doorway and pushing forward. From behind the shield, all the vampires registered five or six very loud, very fast, and very erratic heartbeats.

"Humans! Humans! Humans!" Edward called out, calming the vamps to his left, who were already readying their attack. Charlie had come forward with Peter and Charlotte, so that Edward and Bella stood closest to the attackers with them as backup. In the distance, they registered a vicious snarl and howl, signifying that Jacob had shifted.

The riot shield moved forward into the bar and they could now see that it extended all the way around the group, with only a few gaps, presumably for weapons. Edward launched himself at the top of the shield and tore the cover off in one fluid motion, pulling one human out with it, whom he flung nonchalantly across the room. He landed against the jukebox with a dull thud. He caught a thought from Bella, projected through the chaos. Nice one, babe! Looking for her, he saw her big smile and almost sighed. But his romantic feelings, so often triggered by the fight, were quickly interrupted. Another human raised what looked like a battering ram and hurled it at him, knocking him off balance for just a moment; in order to recover, he had to jump off the shield. Jacob took advantage of the distraction and, nearly as fast as a vampire, charged full-wolf-forward straight at the front of the phalanx, knocking the panel back and exposing the humans. Rather than finish the job, however, the wolf continued running straight out the door, vanishing almost as quickly as he had appeared.

"Thanks for nothing, mongrel!" Edward called out. The humans, recovering from their stupor, leapt into the fray, armed with an array of shotgun-like weapons and something approaching a grenade launcher. The one with the launcher remained in a crouch, and Bella leapt on him, tearing him away from his machine, except for his left arm. That remained in firing position. His blood poured onto the floor and his scream was piercing, shrill, but brief.

The room filled suddenly with smoke. Do they think we can't see now?, Charlie thought as he lunged for a smaller human who was running toward the bar. He grabbed the human and held him off the ground.

"Who sent you?" He asked.

"Grand Forks for humans only! Get out vampire scum! The true owners of GF are the human citizens of America! We answer to no one!" Lie.

"He's lying! Edward?"

Across the room, Edward was holding back the Viking vamp from biting. A large, dark-skinned man lay on the floor, bleeding arterially. The Viking pleaded in his mind, all that blood's going to waste…Edward shook his head slowly. "No biting! Don't break the rules for these losers, it's not worth it!"

"Edward!" Charlie called again. Edward tried to focus on the thoughts of the dangling liar, but all he could see were images, cinematic almost, of humans killing vampires, and a lot of colors and shapes swirling around.

"I'm not getting anything, Charlie. These guys are dosed with something." Seeing that the Viking had calmed down, he dipped his finger in the blood of blood and licked it. Bitter, sharp, and cool. Definitely ice. Ugh.

"It's ice," he called out. Charlie dropped his human and stomped on his head angrily. The smoke cleared then, and the vamps stood still. Three more heartbeats, all crowded by the pool table in the back. Turning as one, the crowd of vampires marched toward the heartbeats.

The three humans were not even holding weapons. Their thoughts were a mess, totally unreadable. Charlie turned away. "I'm calling the Veeps," he said, and walked into the back office.

"Do you want to walk out of here?" Bella asked as she walked slowly toward the humans, sickeningly sweet in tone. One of them, a man with long, oily brown hair and three-day stubble, dressed unseasonably in a heavy coat, shifted from foot to foot. Then, quickly for a human, he lurched and grabbed a pool cue off the table, snapping it in half by swinging hard against the floor. He rushed at Bella, pointy end extended. Before he had taken three steps, Bella was on him, knocking him to the floor, breaking one of his legs. She grabbed the pool cue, and straddled him, eliciting a howl of pain as his pelvis shattered.

"When will you idiots learn?" she said, her eyes hard, boring into the human's wildly shifting ones. She jabbed the pool cue against her own chest rhythmically, saying, "This. Doesn't. Work." Her lips curled into a smile as the trapped human's crazy eyes grew large — as did the eyes of the other two, who stood frozen behind the table.

"How do you fellas think it'll work on him, though?" The sweet tone was back, as she looked up at the two relatively undamaged ones, now shaking with fear. She held the pool-stake lightly, hovering it over the man's wildly thrashing heartbeat.

"Do you want to walk out of here?" she repeated, still staring at them. "I'll make these guys," she gestured at Edward, Peter, and Charlotte, who had remained completely still and alert, letting her take the lead. "I'll make them let you go, if you leave right now and are out of Grand Forks before I have a chance to track you down — I don't care if you try to hide in the HD."

The two men took one glance at each other, one more at their fallen colleague, and ran like the devil out of there. Edward shook his head when Bella turned to the crippled mess on the floor. He caught a few images in the minds of Peter and Charlotte, then, of Bella in a swamp, leaping from tree to tree as a series of men ran at her with machetes, each one falling before the previous had a chance to realize what was happening to him. She is magnificent, he thought. Casually, Bella thrust the pool-stake through the heart of her would-be attacker, who expired immediately, almost eagerly.

With a sigh, Bella rose, crashing herself into Edward's arms. They melted together, their vampiric adrenaline dissolving into other emotions. "What the hell was this?" she asked him. He shook his head. Charlie came back then, looking a little concerned.

"Veeps will be here in a minute, kids. You should probably get out of here. I'll stay to help with cleanup and give them some kind of explanation."

"We can stay, Dad," Bella said, "we've got total self-defense justification here. The Veeps will be on our side. And surely some vid-surveillance will have spotted that ridiculous contraption they broke in here with."

Charlie shook his head. "They know your — reputation, honey. Let's not get them asking questions." He was right, it was best they get out while they could.

"We'll come by later and help with the redecorating," Bella promised Peter and Charlotte, and they made their escape through the window in the office just as the VPolice van pulled up.

"I guess that's another fun entry in the Birthday Disaster column," Bella moaned several hours later, rolling over on their new bed to grab a pen and her journal off her nightstand. Edward followed her movement, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her to him. He idly nibbled on her shoulder as she wrote a few words.

"Mm-hmm," he said, "I hope you don't mean just now…" His wicked grin earned him a pen to the face, and then a slow kiss. Bella cocked an eyebrow. Reassured? "Mmm…" They settled back in silence for a few minutes.

"Jacob knew," Bella said suddenly.

"What?" Edward sat bolt upright.

"He was trying to warn me just as they broke in."

Edward's fury was hard to contain most of the time, but Bella's hand around his wrist held him back from immediately rushing out to find Jacob and crush his skull.

"Calm down, Edward, no good can come of running off half-cocked here. We can use this."

"How?"

"If Jacob knows what's going on, we'll be able to get him to tell us. Maybe we can get him to funnel us information secretly." She paused, chewing on her pen for a moment. "There's no way he's involved with some serial killer. This is definitely something more than it seems. We're going to need Jacob, I can tell. But in the mean time, I think we should still act like we're looking for a serial. Don't want to excite anyone unnecessarily, including Jacob. "

Edward crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes, exhaling loudly three times. Then he nodded.

"Fine. But if the cur endangers you one more time, I will not be responsible for my actions."

Bella could only shake her head at that. Some things really never change…


	5. 4: Upon the Altar

"Do not be afraid; our fate  
Cannot be taken from us; it is a gift."  
(Dante, _Inferno_ )

14 September 2162

08.00

The few blocks encircling the all-human district had long ago been dubbed the "red light district," but this was something of a misnomer. The area saw its share of prostitution, illegal drug and blood transactions, and ramshackle residences with a mix of denizens you wouldn't find in other, more well-organized, or well-heeled, parts of the city. But the primary purpose of the red-light district was to facilitate human-vampire interaction in a mediated way. The VPolice performed extra patrols, the human shopkeepers posted "All Species Welcome" signs in their windows, and the vampire businesses posted similarly-styled notices stating "We Observe All Laws of the City Limits".

The other major industry enabled by the red-light district was the inexhaustible exercise of human curiosity. Newcomers to GF were often directed to the "Vampire Information Bureau," a small, unassuming building staffed with vampires tasked with answering any and all questions from humans about vampire customs, biology, history and the rules and regulations that distinguished GF from most other areas where humans and vampires mingled. Slogans about how GF provided "the best quality of life for humans and vampires alike" strongly informed their answers and dictated their endlessly chipper demeanor. Bella often remarked, a little wistfully, how well Alice would have fit in working there. There were other, darker kinds of curiosity too, and those could also find satisfaction here, in the legal (or illegal) brothels — and, in a different way, in the "Blood is Life" church.

"Blood is Life" was situated in an old church building on Chestnut St. It boasted a steeple, large double-entry doors, and all the best 20th century stonemasonry that still stood. A banner, strung tightly across the crumbling facade, was now proclaiming "Come in and Hear of the GLORY of the New World: Coming SOON". Bella and Edward approached the building through an alley, passing the back entrance to a blood-themed restaurant ("Sanguinity: a taste for all palates, as long as it's Red"), a "Vampire Skin" Treatment Spa ("Aletheia — find the best skin for the best you — and for all species"), a counseling office specializing in newborns and those approaching their approved and scheduled "transition", and finally, across the alleyway, a run-down independent B-Clinic, affiliated with "Blood is Life" and the supplier of all the blood used by the church in its rituals, or so Swan and Cullen Investigations had been told by a source from Peter at ABO.

Bella and Edward clambered up onto the roof of the B-Clinic to get a view of the church entrance. They settled in to observe, to see if they could uncover anything interesting or untoward, and to await their meeting with the elusive Pastor Dominic. He had agreed to meet with them at 9.00, when they explained that they were concerned for the well-being of his congregation at the hands of human predators. Their names, of course, were never mentioned; they simply called themselves "licensed vampire investigators."

For twenty minutes or so, all was quiet. A black, scraggly bird even landed on Bella's statue-still shoulder, which delighted and distracted her. It had been months since she'd last seen a bird. When it flew away, she pouted a little. But she did not have much time to be sad. She and Edward were caught off guard when they smelled a very familiar scent emerge from the side door of the church, and approach them at greater-than-human speed.

"Buongiorno, cara Nonna, mio Papa," a silky, conciliating voice called to them from directly underneath their position. The voice belonged to a man, appearing to be about 35 years old, with shiny black hair and deep brown eyes. He was tall and looked strong, but also refined. His suit and shoes were tailored, Italian and just a little shiny.

"Won't you come down from your perch?" He stepped back and threw his arms wide. Reluctantly, Bella and Edward jumped down.

"You seem to be on an Italian kick, Reuben," Edward said. "Have you been hiding out there?"

"Oh no, dear Papa. I've been around. Here and there. I just always think of the two of you as I last saw you, in Italy, amidst all that beautiful devastation." Those last two words were spat at Bella with force. She froze and then turned away, letting her hair fall in front of her face in a strangely human gesture.

"Are you here working with your Daddy on whatever shit he's got mixed up in?" Edward had never been very able to hear Reuben's thoughts. He had always been a little too good at keeping him out.

"I have nothing to do with Daddy, you know that very well."

"I don't feel like I know much right now."

"Well, I can most sincerely assure you that whatever my father has done, and however he has managed to upset my dear mother, it is not my concern."

"Have you spoken to Renesmee?" Bella was anxious. Edward reached for her, putting his hand on the small of her back.

"Mother and I haven't spoken in several months. But she did mention she was thinking of coming to join me — to join us, I suppose."

Now Bella was angry. "Damn it, Reuben, what is your game here?"

Reuben smiled the falsest of smiles and tipped his head back, as if basking in the cloudy, sunless light. He looks like a lizard when he does that, Bella projected to Edward, who only blinked.

"Surely, Nonna, Grand Forks is the ideal place for a being such as myself. The very embodiment of interspecies co-operation." More spittle.

"I meant," Bella said, taking a small step forward, "what are you doing here, at Blood is Life? This seems a little… downmarket for you."

"On the contrary, on the contrary. The good people of Blood is Life are far wiser than most of the fools in this town. In this whole country even. They've got a lot of good ideas. I was just speaking to their pastor. He's very keen to work with me on expanding their outreach."

"This… perversion of a faith doesn't make you sick?" Edward shoved his hands in his pockets. Just being around Reuben for a few minutes was enough to put both Bella and Edward completely off their game. There was a feeling of unease… Edward wondered if whatever was causing that was also shielding Reuben's thoughts.

"This is quite a comic conversation. A vampire, worried about the perversion of faith? Just because they read a few verses in an old book a little differently than you used to?"

Edward bristled. "It's not that they read it differently. It's what they do that sickens me."

"And once again, vampiric irony. When did you become a Christian authority, a moral leader, to teach us all how to behave? Or have you stopped eating people… again? Very Christian, drinking people's blood."

"I've never claimed to be good. I was a good Christian when I was… it offends me, what these people do."

"Ah yes. Well, then the Christians should come and defend themselves, shouldn't they?" Reuben bent his knees and made a little jump, a giddy gesture. "Oh dear, where are they all? Hmm. No churches around here, are there? I wonder why."

Bella grabbed Reuben's wrist and jerked him painfully forward, interrupting his near-dance. She knew she was being goaded, but she couldn't help herself. "You know full well it was the humans who destroyed their own faiths. Their own world. Human wars and human famines and human diseases and human death. Don't blame us. Or if you do, you'll have to blame a bit of yourself, won't you?"

"I do enjoy a good rare steak. Not that one can get a steak in this ridiculous farce of a town. But grateful though I am, Papa," he winked at Edward, who grimaced, "for the — advantages of the vampiric element in my makeup, I know that to indulge that baser part of my nature would be a mistake."

"Then why are you associating with these fools?" Bells tossed his wrist harshly away. "Isn't that what they want? For humans to all transform — to become vampires?"

"Tsk, tsk, Nonna. You shouldn't rely on rumors and gossip. Isn't that what they say in that book of yours, Papa? Thou shalt not kill. And don't say nasty things about your neighbors."

"We'll see. We're meeting with pastor Dominic right now. To find out if he's a serial killer or not." Bella wanted so very much to slap him. It was by no means the first time she had felt this way when she looked at her grandson. A look of calm, serenity even, passed over his face, and suddenly she saw it, heard it. Carlisle. That was where, that was when; she had heard this rhetoric, felt this feeling of powerlessness, before. A shudder overcame her.

"Dominic," Reuben said, a tiny shadow of uncertainty visible for a tiny moment, "is no serial killer. On the contrary, on the contrary. He wants to give us all eternal life. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Except he's going to be successful, unlike your good Christians. And then vampires won't be so special anymore. And everyone will be equal again. That's pretty scary, now, isn't it?"

Edward stood, completely stunned, speechless. His arms hung limp at his sides. His jaw clenched. Bella wrapped her arm around his waist, and noticed that Reuben flinched.

"We'll see. If Dominic is as good a man as you say, we won't interfere with whatever crazy shit he wants to preach to his flock. But even if he's no villain, he's not fooling anyone. These idiots get themselves killed more than anyone else around here."

"Perhaps they don't 'get themselves killed.' Perhaps they are willing to die for an idea. I think you should be able to relate to that, Nonna. Is that not the story you tell yourself every night, when you don't go to sleep? 'Amor condusse voi ad una morte'. Love brought you to one death…"

Reuben's choice of Dante quotation showed, Bella thought, that he didn't understand her, or her relationship with Edward, in the least. Love had not brought her to death with Edward, like the adulterous lovers of the Inferno. It had brought her to life, to life with Edward but also to herself. He could not know that, but he had never cared to know anything about anyone. So many hours she had spent consoling her daughter, trying to convince her she had been a good mother, that it was something in her son and not in her that had caused him to be the way he was. Ungrateful, vicious, narcissistic… she could not let this man stand her and presume to lecture her through Italian literature. She had to respond, to make him see that she would fight him, whatever he did — to her family, or to the people in Grand Forks who he clearly intended to use for his own purposes.

It was only Shakespeare that came to mind. Well, she thought, Shakespeare in Italian had its own bizarre appeal.

"How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is, to have an ungrateful child." Her venom welled in her mouth. It took more control than she had had to exert in a long time in order for her not to spit it at him. She grabbed Edward's hand, for he was still standing as if in a trance, and pulled heavily. He jerked back to awareness as they began to walk to the entrance of the church. Reuben did not move to follow them. Bella turned her head as they reached the end of the alley and called to him.

"You won't get away with it, Reuben. Whatever it is you're up to, we'll stop you!"

Reuben held up his hands to her, palms forward, as if he was praying. And grinned.

~*~

Pastor Dominic had welcomed them into his office with deferential gestures, introducing himself and not requesting they do the same. He was dressed simply in a white shirt, belted, with dark blue trousers. His shoes were scuffed. His hair, light gray, was uncombed and slightly greasy, and his eyes, when he looked up briefly, were a watery blue. He could have been anywhere from forty to sixty, Bella thought. Vampires became very bad at estimating human age over the years. And Edward could hear his thoughts loud and clear, which was a relief after the last few days. Fear and excitement tumbled off him in waves.

"Please sit," he said, keeping his eyes downcast. They remained standing. Let's not mention our little encounter with the grandson, Bella sent her thought. Edward finally spoke.

"We'll stand, if that's all right with you." The pastor nodded, almost like it was a tic, and sat himself behind a pale pine desk, cluttered with papers and adorned incongruously with a large silver chalice. Bella assessed it to be 16th century Italian. Most interesting, however, was the large crest of the city of Volterra which was stamped on the inside of the vessel.

"What gives me the honor of the visit of two beings such as yourselves this day?" the pastor said. He never once looked up from his gnarled hands, which he had splayed on the desk. Oh my god please don't hurt me oh is this what I truly deserve…

"Please relax," Bella leaned over and reached her hand across the desk, gently touching the back of his hand. "We are not a threat to you."

Dominic took a deep breath and met first her gaze, then that, much less friendly, of Edward's. Edward placed his hand on the small of Bella's back, causing Dominic to squint slightly. They must be mates. That's a pity, he looks very useful… That was odd.

"I understand that vampires are no danger to us here. I preach that every day," he said, but his voice lacked the confidence of his words. And his thoughts continued to vibrate with fear, though it was subsiding gradually.

"We are concerned that humans of ill will may be targeting your parishioners due to their — unusual beliefs," Edward said, crossing his arms in front of his chest and rocking back on his heels. Dominic nodded.

"I see. Yes… that is a danger we face. Some of us can be so naive, so optimistic, it can be…" Silly girls, silly girls, they never listen…

"Do you know a man named Tom McGarry?" Edward asked. This surprised Dominic.

"The man who almost died? No, why?"

"Just wondering if he was a member of your congregation."

"No, definitely not. I did think… I thought that attack sounded like it was some human, trying to stir up trouble for the — your kind?" Dominic looked up hopefully. Bella raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure you don't know anything about the attack? The man awoke not far from here."

"I don't know why you think I would know anything!" The pastor stood up at that, finally working up the courage to walk around his desk and stand with the vampires.

"Your church," Edward spat the word, "seems to be so keen to blur the boundaries between our species, it just seems like…"

"Would you like a tour?" Dominic crossed his hand behind his back, smiling now. He had a glint in his eye. Maybe we can interest him if we go for a soft-sell…

"What?" Edward was surprised.

"I can see you are suspicious of me — of us. I'd like to show you that you have nothing to fear from us. And that, whatever you may believe, what we are doing is good, not anything like the rumors. And that we are certainly not draining blood from humans for some nefarious reason!"

It might be useful to have a look around, Bella suggested.

"Very well, we'd be happy to have a tour," Edward said, gesturing to the pastor to lead the way. They followed him into the large and airy sanctuary. A quick glance, and someone accustomed to churches might think they were inside one. But a second glance would clear that up. The pews were rough hewn from wood, the centre aisle wide and paved in stone. Some backs of pews had old-fashioned leather hymn books stuffed in them. Bella glanced at the title: BLOOD, FIRE, WATER. Cheerful and uplifting songs, no walls were stone, interspersed with glass, some of which was decorated in stained-glass style, imitating the older technique but with images of vampires from history, or at least from lore. Bella was pretty sure she recognized an image of Carlisle and Esme in one window, saw several portraits of late figures from the infamous Volturi guard, and was certain that one crude brown haired figure was a representation of one of her own legends. But Dominic did not seem to recognize her. Was he a better actor than he seemed? They passed another large scene, painted on the glass this time, showing a generic vampire rescuing a large family from a burning building. The caption read, in small capitals, THE VAMPIRE CAN BE THE SALVATION OF MAN.

They walked slowly up the aisle, as if approaching the altar. It was an "altar" only by analogy — it was actually a table draped with a bright red tablecloth. Stenciled on the front of the cloth was the motto THE LIFE OF THE FLESH IS IN THE BLOOD. Dominic paused before the altar and bowed stiffly at the waist, pressing his foot at a loose stone. Suddenly, a column of stone rose out of the floor in front of the altar, topped with a large drinking vessel, with seven spouts.

"We do have the disciples drink of the life here," Dominic said, gazing upon the gaudy golden vessel with eagerness. "That is truth." Edward saw an image in his head that nearly made him retch, but explained the odd clothing the women had been wearing the other night.

"Your human followers drink blood?" Bella wrinkled her nose. "Isn't that a danger for disease?"

"It is our greatest act of faith," the pastor said, wringing his hands.

"But, I mean, you don't want to get another plague started, do you?"

He had the grace, at least, to look horrified. "Of course not! All the lifeblood we use is carefully screened."

"And definitely not taken from unfortunate amnesiacs in the street," Edward said, walking away with disgust on his face. He sat in a pew and rested his elbows on his knees, and his forehead on his clasped hands. Bella and Edward had not visited any places of worship since their return from Europe, but Bella remembered that at nearly every such place that they had found still standing (and some that were not), he had made much the same gesture. She never asked him what was thinking about while he floated, unmoored, lost in his own mind. It always seemed to calm him.

While he was off doing his thing, Bella walked to the back of the sanctuary area with the pastor, who kept glancing back with a concerned expression.

"No need to worry, pastor," Bella gave him her best dazzling smile. "He's very spiritual." She took his hand and he was immediately entranced, all worries forgotten. "Can we continue the tour?" she asked. Dominic escorted her into the vestry, where she lingered with a few volumes that were stamped with the familiar Volterra crest. She ran her fingers down the spine of one of the books and opened it cautiously.

"It's such a pity that Volterra was destroyed," Dominic said, unable to tear his eyes from her as she paged through the book. It was an uninteresting accounting ledger, but Bella needed to get Dominic as unguarded as possible before she could ask him the questions she needed to, so she exaggerated all her vampiric gestures as she pretended to be absorbed in the text.

"Tell me, Dominic," said Bella, putting down the Volterran volume, "do you speak much of the temptations of the flesh in your sermons?" Bella heard, or rather felt, a long, low growl emanating from the sanctuary. Down, boy! she shouted in her head.

Dominic gulped. "Pardon me?"

"It is well known, or so it is thought by humans, that vampires have a different approach to… the fleshly pursuits. We have reason to believe that some of your congregation is seeking to discover the truth of this… facet of our existence for themselves."

Dominic frowned and backed through the vestry door, almost crashing into Edward. He kept walking, and said, "let me show you our Sunday school room."

They proceeded down a narrow hallway that smelled of damp and rat blood. God, I hope that's not what these fools are drinking, Bella thought to herself. Just before the end of the corridor, there was a section of the all that was obscured by a thick velvet curtain that seemed out of place. Nowhere else in the building had such opulent furnishings. A few feet beyond that was the so-called "Sunday school", which looked to be located in a solarium.

"Why, may I ask," Edward stepped into the solarium, drawing Dominic's attention to him, "does a group that exalts vampires have a sun-room?" He sounds intrigued…maybe I'm fooling myself…mating bonds are supposed to be so strong…but then what was that with her back there?

"Oh, that's precisely it, you see. We admire the skin of the vampire in the sun. We hope someday to have vampires come to us, able to shine as they should…" Edward and Bella both bit their lips to keep from laughing. They would bet large sums at this point Dominic had ever really spoken to a vampire before. Each new thing he said about the goals for his organization, whether it was to describe another macabre ritual or to speak glowingly about his plans for expansion into the other large co-op areas in Chicago and Denver, could only lead to one conclusion. If Blood is Life was responsible for the near-death of McGarry, or the ambush at Type ABO, Dominic was a patsy, and he was playing that role to perfection.

Edward continued to draw Dominic further into the solarium as Bella hung back, anxious to see behind the curtain. Once inside, a soft heartbeat approached from the opposite direction, entering the solarium from the door that they had seen Reuben exit. Edward looked up in shock when he recognized the smell: it was the oldest woman from their hunt the other day. Instead of being dressed in a long white gown, though, she wore the uniform of a city transport worker and carried what looked to be a heavy canvas satchel.

She dropped the satchel in alarm when she saw Edward.

"Pastor! What is he doing here?" she squeaked.

"I'm giving this man a tour," Dominic said soothingly. "Thank you for dropping by with the books for the children." Children? thought Edward, They're indoctrinating children in this horrorshow? It explained the utter conviction he had been able to read from the girls at the hunt, he supposed. Perhaps they had been attending here since their childhood.

Without another word, the woman turned and ran out the door. Dominic looked from the door to Edward and back again, but said only, in a voice he seemed to intend to convey admiration, "Some of the disciples struggle with fear in the presence of a true cold-skinned one." Edward huffed, remembering this man's own overwhelming fear just a few minutes before, and suggested that they had seen enough. And that they certainly didn't think Dominic or his flock could possibly be implicated in this terrible crime, etc. They walked back to the office, Dominic fretting all the way about ways he could have been a better salesman. And about why the investigators had even connected him to the McGarry incident; he had been sure that was anti-vampire humans, isn't that what the police had said? Such a bad sale, such a waste, he went on and on. What are you selling, Dominic? Edward thought. Because it definitely isn't human salvation…

~*~

While Edward was occupying the mind and thoughts of the pastor, and keeping his eyes off Bella, she began her detour. As soon as Bella was sure that Dominic could no longer see into the hallway, she moved at vampire speed and slipped back, opening the curtain a small amount, to find a locked sliding-glass door. Behind the glass was a full medical room, looking substantially cleaner and fancier than the rest of the building. There were at least three surgical tables, a cold box with vials of serum and other medicine bottles, and a large number of advanced-looking medical tools. Why did they bother to affiliate with a B-Clinic when they had this here, with substantially more advanced equipment?

Bella had never been able to stomach the idea of medical school, and so she was not sure what all of the equipment might be for. She looked around, searching for some implement that might be able to make the wounds that McGarry had had, but there didn't appear to be any tubing or suction devices, at least that were visible. But a sudden flash of her own memory made her instantly certain what this room was. It was pristine now, but that was only because its operations had not yet begun.

Clustered in the far corner, Bella saw an axe, a handsaw, and a very large set of forceps. If that hadn't made it clear enough, carelessly stuffed in the back of a chair she saw a leaflet from a doctor she had often passed as she skirted the human district. The doctor's office was a pregnancy center.

~*~

For Edward, it had been a difficult morning. Twice, he had found himself slipping into a state that he described as "floating" and what more clinical diagnosis might call a "stupor" or even disassociation. First, when Reuben and Bella had begun to shout at each other in Italian, he had found himself falling, falling down into the truth of the words Reuben said, even if the intent behind his words was full of lies. Both when he had subscribed to all the doctrines of Cullentopia and now, in the compromise that he and Bella had so carefully forged themselves, his claim had always been that it was possible to be a moral vampire. But whenever he was confronted by an attitude like Reuben's he struggled to fight against the tide. Pretending that they were not monsters, but rather almost gods, was dishonest. To be a vampire was to deal in monstrousness.

And it was that thought which preoccupied him throughout the "tour" of Blood is Life. It seemed so straightforward, so right and clear, when he was running through the forest with Bella by his side, hunting down yet another murderer, terrorist or weapons dealer. It felt so enormously satisfying as he anticipated the moment, as he savored the possibilities: would he or Bella take it down? Would they share it happily or wrestle for dominance? Would they wait until they were home again before they removed their clothes, or not even bother to take them off, sated in one appetite but only hungrier in another? But all these were questions of instinct, questions of one monster to another, or a monster to himself. All he could think about as he sat in that uncomfortable mockery of a pew is how everything that seemed entirely right and good to him in the moment, when he saw it reflected through the yearning, envious eyes of humans, it became something grotesque, something evil at its core.

" _You have always said_ ," he remembered Carlisle saying to him twelve years ago as they parted for the last time, standing far apart from each other and looking off into the night, " _that you didn't want to be a monster_."

 _"But you can't be God, Edward. You have to choose not to be a monster, and get nothing in return for your sacrifice. This so-called co-operation experiment in Grand Forks is only helping humans collaborate in their own destruction, yet again. Do you want to be party to a farce? Or a tragedy?"_

 _"I want to try to be a part of something. I might be playing God, but at least I'm not playing 'Last Judgment'. And at least I'm not running away from any challenge and calling that better!" He had cried indignantly._

 _"I know you think that is what we have done, in going to Africa."_

 _"Am I wrong?"_

 _"In a way, no. There's no politics where we are, since there are no people to speak of…"_

 _"How have you not run away, then?"_

 _"We are trying to do something useful. The lion farm is growing. The humans who run it are building a life for themselves. It is a little lonely… but sometimes loneliness isn't the worst thing…"_

 _This silenced Edward, who knew better than to bring up Esme. Such was a guarantee to end the conversation._

 _Carlisle remained resolute. "I know you think your gift sets you apart." Edward had nodded._

 _"There will come a time when your gift won't be able to help you. And you will make the wrong choice. What happens then? You are already prone to self-loathing thoughts…"_

 _"With Bella I can survive anything!" That he had believed then, now, forever and always. That he could hold on to._

 _"I have no doubt that you and Bella will survive. I think you will outlast us all. I just don't know if that will be a good thing," Carlisle's golden eyes had flashed at that._

 _"I think that we can be a great asset to humans, by living among them. You think we can only be an asset now by withdrawing from them. We're never going to agree on this. I don't see why we should continue this conversation."_

Edward had hoped so fervently that that would not be the last words he and Carlisle ever spoke to each other. But as of now, they had been. Seeing Reuben today, it was uncanny how he had taken the words he had heard so many times from Carlisle and twisted them into something that stabbed at his gut even more.

He was a monster. So be it. He would be a monster, but he would be a monster who did the best he could to serve his prey. The resolution was made again. This time, he thought, it had been harder to come back from the edge of his thoughts, harder than any time since Italy. Perhaps the secret to keeping a level head was to avoid all things Italian.

When he ascended from his floating state, and stood up from his pew, he listened for Bella. He heard her clearly; she was shamelessly flirting with the pastor. Temptations of the flesh, oh for heaven's sake… He growled at her, long and slow, letting her know he was back in the world of the conscious, and that he was following the game plan.

 _I will prove that it's a good thing. We'll prove it to all of them, together._

~*~

10.00

The B-Clinic's hours were posted on the metal door, painted in an unintentionally blood-like red. Peter and Charlotte had agree happily to visit this, their 'local' B-Clinic, as a part of the investigation, but also to see if the previous owners of ABO had unintentionally angered the human population nearby, and thus possibly inspired the attack. But their enthusiasm for the task was immediately dampened by what they saw.

The 'Clinic' itself was really just a metal shack on stilts. The door banged open without resistance when Peter pushed it gently. Inside, the picture did not improve. Several folding chairs were set up in front of the door, with a low, scratched table stuffed with informational fliers the only decor to speak of. The fliers were advertising 'quick cash' schemes for giving blood, as well as offering menus for buying blood, with a few for plasma donation schemes worked in. But it was the humans who waited in the folding chairs that were most discouraging. Each of the men who sat there showed signs of some kind of drug addiction or nutritional deficiency. When they walked through the door, all eyes fixed on them with a mixture of curiosity and hope. No one was here because they believed they were doing a good deed, that much was certain.

Charlotte whispered at vampire-volume to Peter. "These guys look more unhealthy even that the humans in Baton Rouge!" Peter could only nod.

They had been standing in the waiting area for less than a minute when a doctor, harried and tired looking, bustled over to them, bypassing all of the humans who had been sitting for longer.

"How can we help you?" The doctor asked, showing no signs of fear.

"We would like to speak to the director?" Charlotte put on her most chamring smile and unthreatening appearance in general.

"That's me — of this Clinic, anyway…" the doctor looked a little uncertain suddenly.

"We're new to Grand Forks," Peter began, but before he could say more, the doctor's eyes lit up and he reached inside his labcoat and pulled out a 'menu'.

"In that case, we have a large number of selections to offer…"

"We aren't actually in need of a blood supplier," Peter continued, "we have already got one of those. We're just curious how this whole system works…"

"If you've got a supplier, what are you doing here?" The doctor's eyes narrowed. "We are most certainly not in the business of circumventing any regulations!" He leaned forward slightly at that, and to Peter and Charlotte it was clear that he was absolutely in the business of circumventing any regulations, but wanted to get the vampires away from the humans before they continued any conversations about that.

"Understood," Peter said, with his hand raised in an imitation of a human gesture.

"But we did want to know," Charlotte cooed at the doctor, and even tried her best at flirting with him, running her hand up and down his arm. This, however, only elicited a shudder on his part. "We did wonder, how is it that these humans are the best you can do?"

The doctor's glance at the human clientele was brief but clear. "Everyone has to come in once a year. We all do our part, give a pint or so to the cause of co-operation. These folks are the frequent fliers — you know, the ones who haven't got much else of a way to earn. It's a few bucks each time. And since for vamps it doesn't matter if they're drinking, or on drugs, or have some disease… it's a good deal for them."

"GF vampires not too discerning about their supply, then?" Peter pretended to look haughty. The doctor, however, took him quite seriously.

"We screen every ounce of our supply. Nothing comes mislabelled! We've never had any complaints. It's not fancy, but it's good enough for the average vampire!" Was it pride in his work that inspire his defensiveness? From what Bella and Edward had told them, this seemed typical. But there was no doubt — if this Clinic had been the source of the attackers, this doctor, or his superiors, if they ever came here, would never admit it.

"Sorry for wasting your time," Charlotte said.

"Not at all. Please come again, we're more than happy to discuss a deal — perhaps we can provide a more efficient service than your current supplier?"

"I doubt it," Peter said, with a small smirk. Whatever was going on in this particular B-Clinic, if this was the usual standard of care, it was no wonder that most of the vampire population preferred hunting outside the city or bars like ABO to get their blood. This was a sad example of the glory of the co-operative lifestyle, in any case.

10.30

The VPolice station was cramped and bustling, despite its large size. It was not efficient. Charlie grunted in annoyance. Even when he had been a human police officer, he was sure, the process of filing a complaint and witness statements had never been this slow. But this morning there was an unbelievably long line. Ex-Veeps, Charlie knew, got no special privileges here. All species, occupations, and talents waited their turn.

Eventually he arrived at the front of the line. He handed over his sheaf of papers to the duty officer, a scowling Russian vampire who Charlie had known slightly when he was on the force. "There's really nothing you can tell me, Vlad?"

"No. Nothing for civilians. We haven't found the humans you — eh — so unwisely let run away, either. Would make easier."

"C'mon, Vlad, throw me a bone here. No similar cases lately, no anti-vamp terror threats, something to get us started?"

"You know, we Veeps, we don't co-operate with private enterprisers, Charlie. You figure out anything, you tell us. We don't tell you. That's the way it goes."

It certainly is, Charlie sighed inwardly. The total lack of concern the Veeps had shown when they arrived at Type ABO had somehow surprised him. They had carted off the bodies, taken witness statements, and rubber-stamped the whole thing. Bella had been right, as soon as they saw the riot shield (or what was left of it) and the scattered weapons arsenal, they had shrugged their shoulders, patted Charlie on the back with a "stupid humans, huh?" and left, having spent less than twenty minutes "investigating." Charlie supposed he should be grateful that they hadn't been suspicious, but from what he'd heard, in any vamps vs. humans scenario, this was protocol these days.

"Listen, Vlad, do you have a spare office? I need to make a quick personal call. I'll pay up front…"

Vlad grunted, but nodded. Charlie handed over five dollars, which instantly improved the Russian's disposition, and he was led to what looked like a lieutenant's office. "Joe's at lunch. Be quick," Vlad said, and went back to the duty desk.

Charlie settled into the lieutenant's comfortable chair and picked up the phone. He dialed and Bella answered after the first ring.

"Hey Bells," he said.

"Dad! Hi."

"You guys get anything?"

"Loads, Dad, though not a lot of it makes sense. Not phone conversation stuff, though. Meet at the office? I think I have a plan — and you're our man."

"OK, honey. I'm still at the Veeps, I'll be there in twenty."

"Get anything from our Thin Blood Line?" He could almost see her small smile of pride at that one.

"Nothing at all. Just filed the paperwork for the latest episode in the Birthday Curse Saga."

"What an epic story," Bella laughed.

"I sometimes wonder if you think dear old Dad's the worst entry of all…" Charlie was wistful.

"Daddy! Stop it. I've told you so many times, please. Don't think of it like that. Don't be maudlin."

"Oh! Don't be maudlin, she says. Can I be morose? Or melancholy?" Bella was always goading him to expand his vocabulary, after all…He thought he heard a chuckle.

"Someday I hope you'll realize you're totally the exception. It's not like that, Daddy."

"OK, honey. See you soon."

Someday, maybe. But he wasn't there yet, and he'd had more than hundred and thirty years. 


	6. 5: This is My Body

**[Content Warning: discussion of suicide]**

"How can the past and future be, when the past no longer is, and the future is not yet? As for the present, if it were always present and never moved on to become the past, it would not be time, but eternity."  
(Augustine, _Confessions_ )

14 September 2027

FORKS, WASHINGTON

16.00

Bella almost literally barreled through the door of her father's house, remembering at the last moment that it was certain to be unlocked. As it was, the top hinge lost two screws as she flung the door wide. She was met with the sight of Charlie, seated, frozen in shock, at the kitchen table. He looked thin, and pale, and very, very worried. He held a small handgun loosely, leaning forward on the table.

"Expecting a burglar?" Bella ran to him, but stopped short of a hug when she realized how frightened he really was.

"Bella — but — how? I only called you yesterday… I didn't want you to come down here… I didn't ask you to come down here, did I?"

Bella shook her head slowly, reminding herself to go through her human gestures. She brushed her hair back from her face, put her hands in the pockets of her jeans, and rocked back on her heels.

"Sunglasses? It's pretty dismal out." Charlie stood up, carefully setting the gun on the table.

"You know, my sensitive eyes…" That was a surprisingly effective excuse. That, or the ultraviolet-light-gets-through-clouds one, but Charlie wasn't a good candidate for that.

They hugged stiffly, Bella careful not to let him get too close to her skin.

"University of Toronto?" he asked, pointing to her navy blue hoodie.

"Yeah, um, I've applied to do a PhD there next fall. English with a focus on Religion in Literature."

"That's great, honey."

They stood in the kitchen in silence for a few minutes, and then, as if by mutual agreement, moved to the living room and sat down. Bella saw that Charlie took his gun with him, trying to hide it from her.

"Sorry I didn't get to speak to you on your birthday, sweetie." Bella grimaced a little. He knew she wasn't a big fan of her big day.

"Happy, um, fortieth." He shook his head. The look on his face said it all. Still my little girl. As beautiful as on her wedding day. He'd said that, or something like it, so many times everyone had lost count. But seeing that look still made Bella smile.

"You know, they say life begins at forty," Bella said. It was the same joke she'd made ten years ago, when Charlie had complimented how well she looked. He'd stopped trying to understand how she did it long ago, Bella believed, but it was still awkward.

"So," Charlie shifted uncomfortably in his recliner. He picked up the TV remote, and then put it down, thinking better of it. "Why'd you come all the way down here? Just 'cause you missed my call?"

"You sounded really upset on the phone. Alice said — "

"Alice? I didn't talk to Alice. Did I?"

"No, sorry. I meant, I was really worried when I called back and couldn't reach you. I called here a bunch of times, I called at the station, I even called your cell phone three times…"

"You know I never use that thing!"

"Yes, Dad." Bella looked, really looked, at Charlie. She realized he was sweating, though it was cool in the house. Something was seriously wrong, she knew. Her instincts — and Alice's — hadn't been off. She fake-fidgeted for a moment before continuing.

"Anyway, I was freaking out. Alice offered to fly my down in the Cullens' Cessna and — "

"The Cullens have a plane? Alice can fly a plane?"

Bella laughed, trying to keep it light. "Yes, believe it or not."

"Is she here?" Charlie looked around, as if Alice could have been hidden somewhere in the room.

"No, Dad, she's at the Forks house."

There was an uncomfortable silence for a long minute. "So…" Bella leaned forward.

"Bells, I…" Suddenly Charlie was crying; huge, fat tears were sliding down his face. To Bella it was a waterfall. She was pretty sure she had never seen her father cry. He'd gotten a little misty-eyed at her wedding, but nothing like this. Without thinking, she shot off the sofa and embraced him in his chair. He looked up in surprise, and she realized she had just moved too fast and was probably squeezing too tight.

"Bella, what…" She relaxed slightly, but didn't move from her position, holding him as he regained control of himself.

"I'm so sorry, Bells. I don't know what came over me." Bella released him and settled on the arm of the sofa, her hand resting on her father's forearm.

"Dad, something is obviously really wrong. Please tell me."

Charlie shook his head, over and over.

"I was going to tell you on the phone. It would be so much easier that way."

"Well, you're going to have to do it the hard way. I'm not going to leave until I know what's going on."

"I don't want you to leave, honey." Charlier cleared his throat and scooted forward in the recliner.

"Oh, God, I…" He took a deep breath. "Bella, honey, I've got cancer. A brain tumor."

Bella was stunned. She should have known, from the way Alice had acted… but she'd been too focused on getting to Forks to really consider her words.

"You need to go see your father, Bella," she'd said. "He needs to see you, I think. It's really important. We'll fly out tonight." She'd not even tried to get Alice to give her more details. Somehow she'd known that Alice wouldn't tell her. Not for something like this.

"Oh my God, Dad. I'm so sorry…" is all she managed to say. He smiled weakly at her, and shook his head again.

"The thing is…" Charlie trailed off, looking at the floor. "The tumor, it's.. It's inoperable. If they try to take it out, it'll kill me."

Bella's eyes went wide. She was having trouble accepting what Charlie was saying. She kept running through different scenarios in her head, ways that this could be not happening…

"Have you gotten a second opinion? Maybe… you should call Carlisle, he knows lots of great doctors…"

"I actually talked to Carlisle already, sweetie. He agreed with the doctor here. There's nothing they can do." Charlie had talked to Carlisle? Carlisle had never said anything. And Edward would surely have said something to her if he'd overheard anything in Carlisle's thoughts. There was no way Carlisle would hide something like this from her! What was he trying to do? He wouldn't let something happen to Charlie, he wouldn't…

"You there, Bells?" She realized she'd zoned out for second there. But she couldn't let it go, the idea that Carlisle had tried to prevent her from knowing about Charlie's illness.

"Sorry, Dad. I'm just… struggling to absorb the news. And wondering why Carlisle didn't say anything to me."

"I asked him not to tell you." What?

"Why?"

"Well, um, there's still something else. The tumor, where it is. It's situated so that, when it grows, long before it'll kill me, it'll make me… not me. It'll make me forget everything, everyone. I'll have to be nursed, I'll be a vegetable."

Oh no. No, no, no. Bella wouldn't let this happen. There had to be something…

"What does Sue think?" she suddenly asked, only to realize that there was no evidence of her step-mother, or as good as, anywhere she could see.

"Sue's… she's gone, honey. She left when… when she found out what I was going to do."

"What you were going to do?" All at once Bella understood. The way Charlie had been holding the gun when she came in… it wasn't fear. It was resolution, anticipation, something like that.

"No! Dad, no. No, no, no! You can't do that, I won't… no. Tell me I'm wrong, what I'm thinking you're saying here." She stood up, too fast again, reaching over and grabbed her father by the shoulders. He winced, and she relaxed slightly, but didn't move from her position. Her sunglasses slid down her nose as she shook him gently.

"I'm sorry, Bells. I can't… you don't want that for me, do you? A damn vegetable! I know it's the easy way out, but... That's Charlie Swan in a nutshell, right?"

He looked up, into her eyes, and gasped in shock.

"Bella, what… your eyes! Your eyes are gold!"

Oh my god, not this, too, not now. Not now. Bella pushed her sunglasses up, but Charlie reached up, so humanly slow, and took them off. He touched her cheek then. Bella felt the impossible warmth of his fingertips and leaned into them, closing her eyes.

"This is the only thing I want now. Bella, please, tell me what this is. Why are you like this? I know you've told me I shouldn't ask, but it doesn't matter now, does it? Please, just tell me. Do this for me."

Bella exhaled unnecessarily and sat back down on the sofa. She seemed to find it difficult to look at Charlie all of a sudden. It wouldn't matter if she told him now… She gathered all the courage she could find and turned to him, taking his burning hand in her cold one. He gulped, and his heartbeat start to race.

"I'm a vampire."

Charlie stared at her golden eyes, squeezed her stone-hard, ice-cold hand, and said nothing.

"We're all vampires. The Cullens, I mean."

Still nothing. Then:

"No. Vampires aren't real, honey."

"Come on, Dad. Didn't you ever suspect? I mean, you know Jacob's a werewolf. How much of a stretch is it? And we're all cold. Our skin is hard. We don't go out in the sun. We never age, we never eat — "

"Do you drink — blood?" Charlie gasped, and Bella suddenly realized he did know, that he just hadn't known that he knew.

"Only animal blood."

"Is Nessie a vampire?"

"No." It was probably best not to go into too many details there. "But she is — special."

Charlie nodded, as if he accepted everything he'd just been told like it was the evening news bulletin. His eyes were glassy.

"And you're… immortal."

"Yes."

That syllable hung in the air for a long time. Then Charlie got up, with effort, and came to sit next to Bella on the sofa. He wrapped her in a hug, the likes of which she had never received from him. He began to cry again, more gently this time, until the shoulder of her hoodie was soaked.

"It's okay, then. It's okay. You'll always be okay," he repeated into her shoulder, over and over again.

After a few minutes, Bella took her father's hands. "Daddy?"

He looked up, his face splotched with red, his mustache wet.

"Please talk to me."

"I'm just so happy you told me. I understand now. I'm just so glad." Bella was confused by this reaction.

"Why are you happy that I'm a vampire, Dad? I've got to say, you're taking this kinda better than I thought."

"Because… I can be happy knowing my beautiful little girl won't need me. You'll always be okay, always be so strong and beautiful, I don't have to worry that I'm leaving you without — "

Bella screamed then, an inhuman sound, and threw herself away from her father on the sofa.

"No! No, no, no no no no. Don't — "

Charlie was half-lying down where Bella had nearly thrown him. She ran to him them, but saw his face was calm.

"It doesn't matter, Bells. This is for the best, don't you see that? What do you need to worry about me for? What did I ever do for you? I didn't even notice you were marrying a vampire!"

They both laughed at that, but Bella was not deceived. He was trying to distract her. Well, two could play at that game. She lifted her father up, surprising him by taking him a foot off the floor in her hug. She saw he was smiling. Then she grabbed the gun from where he had tucked it in the back of his jeans.

She took the gun and held it in her left hand. With an almost invisible motion, she pulverized it, bullets and all. Charlie stood, dumbfounded.

"I'm not going to let you do this, Dad." He just continued to stare at the small pile of gun dust on the floor. And then he sighed.

"Just because you… destroyed my gun doesn't mean I can't do this, Bells. I'll find a way. I don't want to lose myself. I don't want to forget you, and Sue, and Billy, and fishing, and your mother at eighteen, and holding you in my arms for the first time, and so proud, seeing you graduate from high school, and college, and meeting my beautiful granddaughter, and her ridiculous wolf of a husband, and seeing how wonderful and happy your life is. I don't want to lose all that. I don't want to become a burden that you wish was gone. I'd rather be gone than any of that."

Bella was sure that was the longest speech her father had ever made. And everything was suddenly clear to her.

"But don't you see, Dad? You don't have to lose all that, you don't have to… go. The doctors might not be able to do anything, but I can!"

"What?" Charlie lifted his brown eyes to her gold ones, which were now wide with determination.

"I can fix this, Dad, I can make this go away. Right now."

"What?"

The phone started to ring in the kitchen. Bella ignored it. Charlie didn't seem to hear it. It kept ringing.

"I can fix this." Bella stepped over to her father. She took his left arm and pushed up his shirt cuff. Should she ask him if he wanted this? He would say no, she knew, regardless of what he wanted.

"No, you can't — it's not true!" He said. "That's impossible. This is all so impossible. There's no way. The doctors said there was no way. Carlisle said there was no way, and he — you said…"

"It's not impossible. Let me fix this." Ring ring ring. Ring ring ring. She knew she had limited time now. They would give up trying to reach her in a minute, two at most.

She stared at Charlie's thin, bare wrist beneath her fingers. His pulsed thrummed. She could visualize his blood moving sluggishly through the veins there.

"You don't want — "

"Stop, Dad. Let me fix this." She looked into his eyes. His heart pounded. He was scared.

He didn't say no.

She closed her eyes and bit.

Ring ring ring. Ring ring ring. Her cell phone started to ring now, a mechanical beeping tone.

At first, all she registered was the overwhelming flavor of it. It was nothing like anything she had ever tasted before. Bear, mountain lion, killer whale, all paled in comparison. She had never experienced anything like this…

Charlie moaned, a choking sound.

She pulled back. Immediately her throat burned, in a way it hadn't since she had first woken up. Don't stop, there's so much more left, take it…

Charlie collapsed to the floor. The last drops, that still lingered in her mouth, turned to ash. She realized what she needed to do now, the process that was beginning. Carefully, gently, she licked the wound, closing it. She picked up Charlie, moaning even louder now, his eyes wide, wildly swinging about the room, unseeing, uncomprehending. She placed him carefully on the sofa and covered him with a blanket. He screamed and his eyes slammed shut.

She wouldn't have to wait long now. The phones had stopped ringing.

She picked up her father's hand, which would now have a scar to match one of her own, and held it. Would he forgive her? Would they forgive her?

Five minutes later, Alice appeared. She walked straight into the living room and to Bella, who did not move to acknowledge her. Alice simply stood still by Bella's side and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"We've got to get going, Bella. Carlisle will be here tonight to take care of the details."

"What are we going to do?"

"I've got a jeep rented. We'll have to take him in the car back home. It'll be bumpy, but he won't feel that."

"I know." Charlie screamed again, his legs thrashing. Bella put her head in her hands, kneeling on the floor next to him.

"What have I done, Alice?"

Alice smiled a thin smile. "We always knew this might happen."

"What? I didn't! Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought if I told you, it definitely would happen."

"I don't understand."

"You're the only vampire, well, the only one we know of, who successfully kept in touch with a family member after the change. When the time came, it was only natural that you wouldn't be able to let go."

"Let go! Alice, he was going to shoot himself! Because he didn't want to be a burden to me! If I let him do that, that wouldn't be letting go, that would be… no daughter would let that happen."

"I know, sweetie. Like I said, we have a plan in place," Alice was all calm and smiling now, and Bella couldn't help but wonder how much of this was a show for her benefit, and the reality that awaited her at home would be something different.

"We'll take him back to Alaska with us. I see him now as a vampire — he looks so much younger, so strong. He'll enjoy it."

Bella smiled at a thought of Charlie running through the woods at vampire speed.

"Are you just saying that to make me feel better?"

"I don't lie to you, Bella, you know that."

"You said there's a plan. What is it?"

"Carlisle's finding a cadaver that can pass for Charlie. We're going to burn down the house. It's an old house. Lots of faulty wiring."

Bella was horrified, and showed it. But she could see it was the best plan. And no one would think that Charlie had killed himself, that way, either.

"Are you okay to drive back, Bella?"

"What? Of course. I'm not leaving Charlie."

"You're sure that the blood…"

"I didn't take too much! I know I didn't!" Alice nodded.

"But you might… have a taste, now."

"No!" Bella shook her head, furiously. "No way! I promise." Alice closed her eyes, as if consulting her vision.

"OK. I think we're good now. Let's get going."

They lifted Charlie, still under the blanket, into the back seat of the Jeep, and drove away. I'll miss this house, Bella thought.

I hope Edward forgives me. Now he's got a father-in-law forever… somehow, instead of making her worry, the thought of Edward's reaction, whatever it might be, filled her with happiness.

"I've got a good feeling about Charlie. Don't worry, you know Edward loves him!" Alice said, as if she was the mind reader.

~*~

15 September 2162

GRAND FORKS

Like every Sunday, Bella and Edward sat on their bed, stark naked, surrounded by board games. Today, it was chess, Monopoly (Old London edition), Go and 3-D Scrabble. Bella nibbled on a pen as she doodled on their case file.

"Check!" Edward called, a ray of sunlight catching his arm and making it shimmer delightfully. They always kept the slats on the windows just a little bit open. Sure, they might have agreed not to venture outside, but they could still enjoy some of the benefits of the Weather Agreement from indoors.

Bella rolled her eyes and moved her knight (Sir Lancelot in this chess set, a medieval English edition) to block Edward's advance.

"So, there's really no doubt that Blife is planning on breeding vamps, is that where we are with this? And Reuben is somehow involved… There's no way it's actually something else, something much less gross and deadly and requiring my father to go there undercover and gather evidence to get an IC warrant…" Bella rambled, reading over the file, as Edward placed a hotel on Mayfair and laid down the word BODACIOUS diagonally across two tiers. He rolled over so that he could see what she was looking at. He encircled her with his arms and legs, biting at her ear and nuzzling her hair as he attempted to focus on the facts they were reviewing.

"Yes. Vampire breeding. It's the only way to make sense of that whole mess. We'll have to take some time to deal with this. At least it doesn't seem like Dominic's the killer. Could be somebody else there. Still a lot of nothing in terms of proof… But I don't see how Dominic thinks they'll get away with this breeding business. No one here knows about — "

Bella pressed her lips to his then, breathing in his heavy scent, luxuriating in it. She would never tire of kissing him like this. If you didn't get bored after 154 years, you were probably good for time and eternity…

"They might have come up with the idea independently," she said against his mouth, "like some other people we know." He grabbed her then, leaping dexterously over the Go board and pulling her onto the floor. He started with tickling, which was always guaranteed to get a reaction, and then moved on to a more fervent exploration of her body. There was some growling. But their games, board and otherwise, were rudely interrupted by the sound of the phone, indicating an international call.

Begrudgingly, Bella got up and hit the answer button on the phone. The line crackled and buzzed until a voice, soft and melodious, came through.

"Mom? Dad?"

Both Bella and Edward were attentive now. Quickly, they shrugged into robes. Even though their daughter couldn't see them, it felt inappropriate to talk to her, for the first time in several years, while naked.

"Ren! Honey! How are you?" Bella called, a little over-loud. But it was best to err on the side of loud with these international lines.

"Hey Mom. I'm OK. Good to hear you, I guess you're finally back home now! Is Dad there?"

"Hi Nessie!" Edward called as he walked back into the living room. Bella shot him a look. An under-appreciated aspect of eternal life was that petty arguments could go on for centuries.

They heard a laugh over the crackling line. "I swear I can hear Mom's glare over this terrible line," said Ren.

"Where are you, Ren?" Bella asked, "It's been a long time since we've heard from you by phone. Have they got the lines up in Bahia finally?"

"Um, no, actually. Still being delayed for unspecific reasons. I'm in Laredo right now."

"Mexico?" Bella and Edward looked at each other in genuine surprise. Why would Ren be in Mexico? Her job, teaching reading and math to human children in Brazil, didn't normally entail a lot of travel. And that was how everyone liked it. It was safe and low-profile.

"I'm just passing through. I'm on my way to GF to visit you guys!"

Bella and Edward burst into identical smiles, before several identical concerns clouded their faces.

"That's really great, honey," Bella said, "but you know Jacob's here, right? He said — "

"Yes, that's another reason I'm coming. He and I have a lot to talk about. And I don't think it should be done over a crappy phone line." As if in answer, there was static for thirty or so seconds before they could hear Ren again.

"Ugh, sorry about that. Someone was using the next phone over. Why can't the governments fix this?"

"Good question, Nessie," Edward said. He was angry about how much of his daughter's life he had missed because of the seemingly endless delays in telecommunications improvements, but using said devices to complain was not likely to help. "Have you talked to Jacob about coming up here?"

"No, I don't want him to know right away. I'm going to need some time before I see him. Do you guys mind me crashing with you? I'm sure Charlie would let me stay if — "

"Of course you can stay with us! What kind of parents do you take us for?" Bella asked.

"Horny teenage ones!" Ren said, with a knowing laugh. Bella looked somewhat stricken. It had been difficult to handle disciplining Ren at the best of times, but the fact that her parents looked to be the same age as her only added to the trouble.

"We'll behave!" Edward said sternly. "But you should know something else."

"What's up? I know you've got some new case, Charlie told me."

"You talked to him already?"

"Oh no, just an email." Why didn't Charlie say anything? Bella asked Edward in her mind. Edward shrugged. When it came to his granddaughter, Charlie could be a bit possessive. He'd been a better parent to her, Edward thought sometimes, than they had. Both before and after his change. Bella was pouting a bit now, though, and Edward went to soothe her, gently rubbing her shoulders. He continued talking to Ren, the phone now emitting some sort of guttural hissing noise.

"It's not about the case. Well, it might be, but not directly. Probably." Edward shook his head. Even when he wasn't there, Reuben managed to make him sound foolish.

"Well that clears that up. Thanks Dad!"

"Er, sorry. It's just — we ran into Reuben yesterday."

There was a long silence. "Ren? You there?" Bella called.

"Yes, I'm here. I'm just a bit shocked. I thought he was in Europe."

"So did we. But he's here, and he's definitely up to something."

"Well, that's good to know, I guess." They could feel the shudder across the continent.

"Do you have transport?" Bella asked. It was still very dangerous for anyone with a heartbeat between the US-Mexico border and GF, unless you could afford to fly.

"Mom! Of course. I've hired a Reloc van with guards and everything. I'm not stupid."

Bella couldn't help herself. Just hearing Ren's voice was so wonderful, after over three years. She felt the urge to cry, though of course no tears fell.

"I know, Ren. When do you think you'll be here? We can pick you up at the limits if you want."

"I'm not sure. The driver said three to five days was standard. But I'd say closer to five days is more likely. If we have to fight — "

"What?" Edward leaned over so that he was almost shouting on top of the phone.

"I've had a few encounters with vamps on my way here. Don't worry, Dad! I handled it. But I think there is a chance I'm being followed."

Edward scowled and began to pace the room, running his hands through his hair. Bella was a bit more pragmatic. But she needed to make sure of something.

"Ren, honey. Listen to me. Don't let the Relocs take you through Louisiana, okay? I mean, I doubt they will. The roads aren't good. But even if they insist, don't let them. It's really important, okay?"

Ren said something unintelligible and then there was crackling. Finally, she came back on.

"Got it, Mom. No Louisiana. Listen — I think I should go. There's a line forming for the phones here. I'll see you soon. I'll try to call once I'm closer."

"OK, Ren. Be safe, honey."

"Bye, Mom. Can't wait to see you. We have so much to catch up on!"

"See you soon, Nessie!" Edward called, still pacing.

"Bye, Dad. Try not to pull your hair out worrying about me!" Click. And she was gone.

Neither Bella nor Edward could think of what to say for a while. Their excitement at the prospect of seeing their daughter was palpable. It had been so long since they'd been in the same country, much less in the same house. But they couldn't help but worry — not just for her safety, either. On some level, they knew that Ren could handle almost any difficult situation. And though she may not have been as invulnerable as they were, her fighting skills were extremely good. But vampires, as a rule, couldn't help but assume that any non-vampire was constantly in danger of death. When it was their own daughter, this feeling was hard to control. Add to that their familial concerns, and the uncertainty they both felt over the status of the relationship between Nessie and Jacob, and they just didn't know what to think.

Regardless, they didn't have much time to settle on any opinion. Not five minutes after Nessie had hung up, the international tone rang out again. Two international calls in one day? That was unprecedented. It could be Ren calling again, but from they way she had sounded, that was unlikely. In any case, with minor trepidation, Bella hit the answer button once more.

If possible, this connection was even worse than the one from Laredo. There was buzzing and clicking, and several snippets of conversation in different languages, before familiar high-pitched tones broke through.

"Hello? Edward? Bella?"

"Alice!" Bella stood up in surprise.

"Are you there?"

"We're here!" Edward called. Why was Alice calling now? It could either be very good, or very bad.

"Big brother, sis, I'm so glad I finally found a working phone. It's been ridiculous!"

"Where are you, Alice?" Click click buzzzz.

"I'm not sure what country this is right now. I think Senegal?" A deep bass voice in the background muttered something that sounded like agreement.

"Jasp says it's definitely Senegal now. But anyways, how are my personal favorite red-eyes?"

Bella and Edward both winced. As always, Alice found a way to make uncomfortable things simultaneously more uncomfortable, but also normal. She had never been one for moral debates and had mostly stayed out of the family dramas of the past few decades, but she had nevertheless made her choices, which took her far away from Edward and Bella. Sometimes, Bella had wondered if she would ever speak to, much less see Alice again. But, of course, here she was, calling them up at home like that was her completely typical Sunday routine.

"We're good, Alice. Pretty busy right now. We've been working on a case — "

"I know all about that, sillies!"

They waited. "Anything to share with us, Alice?" Edward sounded testy. He'd struggled to understand Alice's actions more than Bella, who had realized long ago that trying to find rational explanations for her was pointless.

"Nothing about the case! I can't see much of anything in GF. I assume your son-in-law might have something to do with that. That's usually the reason…" That was a bit of a surprise. How far away could the werewolf be and still interfere?

"I saw Nessie for the first time ever, so I assume that she and Jacob aren't together — physically at least — right now?"

"That's right…" Bella was thoroughly confused now.

"Nessie's coming to see you, yes?"

They related, as quickly as possible, what Ren had told them.

"How funny! Well, Jasp and I are also on our way to see you."

"What? Why?"

Click click BONK buzzzz.

"Sorry. It's a long story, I'll save most of it until after we've found ourselves a cargo ship and can actually get to you. But let's just say the big cat farm wasn't working out anymore, with Carlisle gone, and so we started on our own way — "

"Carlisle's not with you?" Edward was back to pacing again.

"No, silly. He hasn't tried to get in touch?"

"Why would you think he would do that, dear sister?" Edward was as close to angry at Alice as Bella could remember in that moment.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I just assumed, since he was in the States, that he might…" Carlisle is in the country? That was unsettling. He had sworn, or so Bella had thought, not to return. At least, not to return unless or until the country had drastically reformed itself. And by reformed itself, it had always seemed to Bella, he had meant returned to his own personal vision of paradise: a land where his small band of righteous vampires could mix unseen with humans and face no consequences for their own "life choices", and where other vampires knew not to challenge him on his own turf. And a land where his wealth and property were useful, rather than dangerous. The US was certainly not that country now; if anything, it was less so than when he first left.

"Well, he has definitely not gotten in touch with us, Alice!" Edward groaned loudly.

"I'm not trying to get in a fight with you, Edward. I just wanted to let you know we were on our way to the States, and to see you guys."

"Just paying a social visit, are you?" Edward snarled, his venom spitting.

"No, I'm sorry. It's my visions. They're really confusing right now. I can't see you guys, like I said. I can see Ren right now, but not in the near future. And I'm seeing a lot of things I can't figure out. Lots of very disturbing and violent things. Secret meetings of people in masks. Humans bleeding — not like plaguey, more weaponsy. Buildings blowing up. I'm worried there might be a war. And for some reason, I think Carlisle is worried too. The few visions I've seen of him, he's been involved in — well, I can't be sure. It looks like he's talking to guys in suits, mostly. But I know that I need to put aside my issues with your choices — "

Bella, this time, was the one offended. Her harsh cackle rang out in the room, followed by silence.

"I don't want to get into a debate, ethical or ecological or otherwise, with you, either, Bella! Come on guys! Please be reasonable."

"I'm sorry, Alice. It's just hard to hear you talk so casually about all this stuff now…" Bella was genuinely sorry, but she was still angry. Edward stopped his pacing and went to her, offering her his hand. She took it gratefully, and squeezed.

"I'm not being casual! I'm really scared. I think it's time to put my pride aside for now and admit that I think we're going to need your help."

"Our help? Why?"

"Ever since we left the farm, we've been being attacked by groups of poorly trained newborns — Jasp of course can deal with those blindfolded, but it's an annoyance. Occasionally it's been a more controlled vamp instead, but that's not too bad."

"You're being attacked too? Repeatedly?"

"Yeah, it sounds similar to what Nessie was talking about, just more of them. I know that the vamp population is way high here — last I heard it was 6%, but it's just been crazy. I've wanted to turn back so many times. But I can't shake the feeling I'm going to be needed… and the thing is, the attacks have started involving humans."

Ah. That might explain it. "And you haven't been able to take care of them?"

"I know it would be legal, and I know Jasp probably wants to — " A grumpy noise in the background again confirmed it, "but I just can't do it. I thought you two could maybe give me some advice?"

"You want advice from us on how to kill humans?" Bella's dry laugh was threatening to bubble over into hysterical giggles now.

"Is there a way to fight them that won't kill them, just prevent them from following us? There's grown to be quite a crowd. They don't seem to give up. Even vamps would have, by now, I think. Someone must be giving them orders, and food, but…"

"Anything you do to damage a human might kill them if they are far from help, Alice." It had really come to this! Bella had to admit, it made her a little sad to hear Alice talking this way. Her usual cynicism was hard to summon in such extreme circumstances.

"At this point, I'm willing to take that chance."

Edward sighed and sat down, not sure how to respond. Bella decided she had to help Alice on her terms.

"Break an ankle. One is enough." Edward's eyes went wide, but then he grinned. A very good strategy. Born from experience? He wondered.

"Oh! That sounds like a good plan! Thanks Bella!"

"Any time, Al." How surreal is this? Bella projected.

"OK, I think we've got to go now. We hope to get on a ship at nightfall. We'll be in touch!" BONK click.

Carlisle was in the States somewhere. Alice and Jasper were trying to get there. Ren was at the border. Even Jacob, more problem than solution though he often was, was around. Bella had never allowed herself to imagine that it might be possible for the family to be together again, not after the way it had all ended. Now there was the slightest spark of possibility, and she had to remind herself not to hope. But it sure felt like the Cullens were coming home to roost. 


	7. 6: This is the Cup of My Blood

"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;  
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,  
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere  
The ceremony of innocence is drowned…"  
(WB Yeats, The Second Coming)

~*~

16 September 2130

ALASKA, 100 MILES NORTH-NORTHWEST OF FAIRBANKS

18.00

The wind rattled the bars of the wrought-iron gate as they approached. Loud barks came at them from behind a stand of tree as their two massive German Shepherds rushed to greet them. But no other creatures stirred to welcome them back.

"Here Fritz! Here Rolf! Good boys! Momma missed you…" Bella grabbed some of the ground beef from their bag — Ren and Jacob wouldn't miss just a little — and fed it to the dogs by hand. It had been an initial disappointment to Bella that vampires and pets weren't a good mix — the animals were too wary — but once she had discovered that vicious dogs all loved her, she was much mollified. Just the respect of one predator for another, she had said.

The dogs, happy and well-fed now, settled down as Edward hoisted himself and their pack over the gate. He stopped and wrenched it open — the lock had long rusted over — and gestured for his wife to go through.

"After you, my love," he purred in her ear. His pink-red eyes gleamed into her own more crimson ones, and she knew the banter was for her benefit.

"Chivalry isn't dead!" she played along, snapping her fingers at the dogs, who fell in step behind her.

"Anyone home?" She asked as they approached the house, hard to see from this far, and in the heavy fog that was settling in.

"I hear Carlisle reading something. Alice and Jasper are fiddling with my piano," he groaned. They always messed up the tuning. "Two happy heartbeats upstairs, billing and cooing. Ugh. And one heartbeat in the basement, but of course I can't hear his thoughts…" Edward sighed.

"Anything from the 'keep'?" Bella asked, not sure why. There never was. Her higher brain functions were shut off permanently. Edward shook his head. No Rosalie or Emmett, he thought. I guess they were serious. They were close enough now that Bella could smell for herself. But it didn't smell like home anymore. Just the place they had to be for a while.

The door loomed up before them. They could knock, or just come in. It's not like they would surprise anyone. They opted for walking right in, and were greeted by Alice in the foyer. She hugged Bella close, but refused to look at her.

"Hey Ed," Jasper called, not looking up from the piano. The stillness and silence of the house seemed almost loud. It wasn't what they were used to anymore. Footsteps pounded down the stairs, and Bella looked up to see her daughter, smiling and holding Jacob's hand.

"Hi Mom!" She called out, but didn't approach her. She realized Jacob was holding Ren's hand very tightly, and she glared at him.

"I'm not going to bite her, for heaven's sake, Jacob!" She broke the hug with Alice and walked to the stairs. Edward busied himself putting away the meat in the kitchen, but he listened. He knew it would be coming soon enough, and he knew he would need to be at Bella's side when it did. Just let us have a few moments with our daughter, he begged silently.

"Well, maybe not. But it's my job to be sure." Ren, Bella was pleased to see, rolled her eyes at this, shook off his hand, and came to Bella. They hugged tightly, and Ren even was willing to look her in the eyes.

"Missed you, Mom," she said.

"We missed you too, honey. Brought you some real ground beef!" She said, as chipper as she could. False cheer had never been her strong suit. Then she felt Edward's hand on her hips, and knew that it wouldn't be long now. Ren gave her father a quick peck on the cheek before trotting back over to Jacob.

"We're going to go back upstairs," Ren said, deliberately, letting them know she was not going to be a part of this. "We're working on that project I told you about." She was learning Brazilian Portuguese. She had told Edward and Bella, but didn't want them to know, here. Knowing that she was planning to go did help make this a bit less painful.

The sound of a heavy book slamming shut announced that it was time. Bella and Edward took their seats on the plush blue sofa, its calming color and softness a reminder of Esme's absence. Alice and Jasper sat in chairs on either side of the piano. Carlisle entered from his office, dressed as if he was still going to the hospital every day, in a suit and tie. He strode forward, standing with his back to the piano, leaning against it. For a long minute, he simply looked across the room, not even bothering to acknowledge their presence. Then, he smacked his open hand hard on top of the closed piano, cracking the wood and causing a few of the strings to break with discordant tones. Edward gasped involuntarily.

"So, how was today's murder?" Carlisle asked, his voice dark and yet almost cheerful.

Edward would always remember how Bella sat, her elbows on her knees, her hands clasped together. Throughout the entire conversation, she never moved.

"There was no murder," she said. Carlisle merely lifted an eyebrow. "Killing in self-defense or defense of others might be homicide, but it's not murder."

"Getting as much out of that law degree as you can, I see…" Carlisle finally sat in the throne-like chair he had clearly positioned for himself earlier.

"And what is it when you seek out individuals to commit homicide against, justifiable or not, deliberately?"

"Just good sense," Bella looked directly into Carlisle's eyes, refusing, at last, to give him an inch. This would be the end of it, one way or another.

"Yes, I'm sure everyone who goes out dressed like some apoca-biker gangsters is just aiming for good sense. 'Desolation Angels,' really?" He gestured at their jackets, beaten-up leather biker jackets that they had relieved some recently-deceased "apoco-gangsters" of a few weeks ago.

"I'm sure the literary reference is lost on most. It helps with the fear," Bella said. _The fear makes it taste so much better_ …

Edward tried not to hear that thought, true though it was. He felt that he needed to participate in this, somehow. "This man was in the process of abducting a little girl, Carlisle. He was following her, the things he was picturing doing to her… he had the ropes and duct tape and everything in his bag, it was a clear-cut case…" Bella looked at him, shaking her head very slightly. _There's no point in trying that argument, Edward, you know it doesn't matter to him_ …

"Uh-huh," Carlisle nodded. "I'm sure this man was the scum of the earth, Edward. You know very well that's not the point. You had other options."

"Time was running out! The police in Anchorage are useless, you know that!" Edward was mad now, slamming his fist into the soft sofa cushion, shredding it.

Carlisle's thought was all Edward needed to abandon this thread of the argument. You will regret it if you rely on yourself to be God, just as you did before. All he could think, but somehow couldn't say, was Then I had faith in the world, and in the rest of humanity. And I didn't have Bella… Edward heard the approach of a steady heartbeat, but somehow didn't hear the accompanying footsteps. Reuben wanted to listen in, did he?

"Fine," Carlisle said aloud. "We can happily stipulate that this man deserved to die. Very well. My question to you: did you enjoy it? Did you get pleasure from taking his life?"

A smile slowly spread across Bella's face. "Yes, of course," she said.

Alice openly winced. Even Edward imagined that his dismay was displayed on his face. It might be true, but was that the right way to handle this? To be so forthright seemed exceedingly dangerous. Suddenly he felt a flood of calm pass over him, and he looked at Jasper.

"Don't bother trying that, Jasper," Bella said. "You know it doesn't get me any more."

"You sit here and openly admit you enjoy being a killer? Edward?"

"What's the point of denying it?" Edward said. "You all know it's true. You all know you would too. We are built for this. We're the apex predator."

"I'm so, so, sick of this, Carlisle," Bella said, her voice barely a whisper. "I am beyond tired of all the lies and hypocrisy of your little cult, your Cullentopia. I am not going to sit here and watch you pretend shock at our behavior. I am not going to sit here and listen to you say to us that it is your way that is the one true path, and the one true way to care for humanity — "

"Hypocrisy? Lies? I've never lied, Bella."

"Oh really?" She was so calm, Edward could barely understand it. She had rehearsed this conversation with him so many times, and always by this point she was agitated, screaming, breaking things in her utter rage. Where was that now?

"You have the audacity to say that you never lied, when you know it was the constant lies that drove Charlie away. When you know your son — my husband — can read your mind?"

Carlisle said nothing. Edward caught only a fragment of a thought… for the best…

"You lied to me almost from the moment you met me. You took advantage of my human weakness and my trusting nature. You said that you Cullens were unique, that your vegetarianism enabled your love for each other, made you able to exist in one place for a long time. You said vampires never change, that we are helplessly frozen in time. You said it was important to you to exist as a part of human society."

"How are those lies?" Carlisle, to his credit, Edward thought, was genuinely surprised.

"I've met plenty of vampires whose love for each other was intense and real, and they'd never had a drop of animal blood. And plenty of them were able to live in one place, and even in groups, as long as they wanted. Of course none of them were trapped in an endless cycle of high school — the torture of that, that you can't see that, is incredible! No wonder it was easy to believe nothing changes for us. Your family, for all of our different reasons, we believed in the myth — because we had no opportunity to find out it was a lie. Until the humans helped us out. But the biggest lie is that you live this way for the sake of the humans, and not for your twisted idea of the importance of your family and this notion of utopia."

Carlisle held up his hand, but Bella went on.

"And now we see just how important it is for you to be a part of society, don't we? Nothing says 'saintly helper of humanity' like a man hiding in his enormous mansion as far from human habitation as possible, does it?"

Carlisle looked like he was about to respond, but he stopped before he opened his mouth.

Bella continued. "Nothing says, 'my only concern is for the good of the world' than physically preventing some of your followers from going to the humans to give assistance in a great time of crisis."

Edward clearly heard a gasp from upstairs. Nessie might not have been a part of it, but she was certainly listening. And remembering. He also felt sure he heard a rumble, almost like a laugh, from his hidden grandson.

Carlisle was undeterred. "But your — activities in human society? That shows you are the truly compassionate ones?"

This was where Carlisle walked into the trap. So many things Bella had wanted to say for so many years would follow from that very question.

"Compassion surely requires accepting reality, not living in a fantasy world all about your own purity."

At the mention of purity, Carlisle visibly stiffened. He had never liked the religious analogies that Bella made for his choices.

"If you did what you do out of compassion, you wouldn't disrupt the ecosystem by killing off the predators and large mammals — the ones that still exist, anyway. And that's not blaming you for what humans did — but you and your vegetarians, we made it worse. You wouldn't take animals raised by humans for your food either — especially since it takes like fifteen cows to satisfy you, when one cow could feed a human family for weeks! That's not compassionate. That's disgusting."

Jasper looked ashamed at this. Bella had been so angry at him the other week when he had told her about the herd of cattle he had decimated. But without the rage behind her words, he suddenly understood what had lain behind them.

"No animal ever sinned against me. No animal ever sinned, at all, because they don't have the capacity. The animals you so righteously drink from are more precious and less culpable than any of the humans we feed on. The humans deserve their fate so many times more… and we protect other humans when we kill them. How is that any different than what soldiers or police do?"

Carlisle could barely contain himself. He launched himself out of his chair. "Of course you're different! Humans might be threats to each other, but they are no threat to you. You said it, Edward — you're the apex predator. You have the choice. Don't you see how that matters?"

Bella nodded. "I do see that. And it does matter. But not the way you say it does. Vampires are humans' only predators. Evolutionarily speaking — "

"No!" Carlisle picked up the chair he had just vacated and threw it against the wall over Bella's head. She didn't flinch.

"Evolution is just another excuse! Do you think you're the first vampire to have seized on that justification? Evolution has nothing to do with morality."

"That's true, that's absolutely true. But it doesn't change the reality. If vampires don't feed on humans, soon enough there will be nothing else to feed on."

Carlisle shook his head, as if to object. "We can adapt. There might not be enough animals to sustain all the vampires in the world. But this isn't about all vampires, it's about our family."

Bella smirked outright at that. "Yes, it's always about our family, isn't it. You say you do everything to protect our family. I believe you there. You certainly didn't complain blood-drinking when you asked for help from the witnesses! It's only when someone in the family goes against you that your morals come up. You say the safety of the family is why what Edward and I have chosen is so dangerous — but yet you are willing to let your own wife — "

"Do. Not. Speak. Her. Name." Carlisle stood directly in front of Bella, literally toe-to-toe.

"She is what you have to claim responsibility for, Carlisle. What she is, is the inevitable endpoint for us, if we believe that morality should be our only guide. A living death beyond anything — "

Carlisle was not going to allow the conversation to wander further down this path. "There are other ways! There are farms being set up…"

Bella nodded again. "Good. I hope, I sincerely hope, that they work wonderfully. That they can serve the whole world of vampires so that none of us will ever have to feed on humans again. But you and I know that there's no chance of that, at least not for a very long time. The environments are too unstable. And of course, there's the fact that humans will have to be involved somehow. What a terrible temptation that must be!"

Edward had felt himself shrinking away from the conversation, but here he felt he could meaningfully intervene.

"Carlisle — it might be time to consider that we can be a part of human society again. There are places — humans are willing to give blood to feed us, and in turn we can protect them — it's being set up in a few places. We could all go there. Make it a kind of symbiosis."

He's not going to care about that… Bella thought. Edward heard her, and knew she was right, but was intrigued to catch a fragment from the direction of the heartbeat, still lurking behind the wall. Ooh, now, that sounds ever so useful…

"What you describe sounds great, Edward. But vampires are too violent. It will never succeed. Unless all the vampires agree to abstain from human blood, it will never work!"

"It's wonderful, isn't it," Bella said, finally releasing her clasped hands, "to believe something with a pure and true faith? It makes it so easy…" She placed her hands on either side of her on the sofa. Carlisle took a few steps back, suddenly uncertain. Alice and Jasper looked at each other, as if they were reaching a decision.

"You can't accept that you are killing something with a soul, someone who could be redeemed; that that alone is reason enough to abstain?"

"Just having a soul doesn't give humans more worth. A human soul, as humans have proved so many times, is just as corruptible as a vampire. As to redemption, I'm pretty sure most of the late troubles," she laughed hollowly, "could have been avoided with a few fewer second chances given."

"Do you not feel any responsibility for the souls you destroy? Do you think you are better than humans? That your right to live in this world is greater than theirs?"

"We aren't better than humans. Just higher up on the food chain." Jasper, to Edward's surprise, nodded at this. He felt another wave of calm. "And as to this world, humans made sure that their world became ours when they destroyed everything."

There was silence for a short time. And then Alice and Jasper stood, and left the room. The heartbeat retreated as well. Edward placed his hand on Bella's.

"And you didn't help them at all. That's your position?" Carlisle suddenly hoisted Edward up by the collar of his jacket. "You think I don't get your little joke with this? I know what you think of yourselves, how you romanticize what you did during — I know you think you were being compassionate. Angels of Desolation, indeed."

Bella stood. "We'll be on our way, then." She knew that it was pointless to tell him about what had really given her the compulsion, the urge, to wear that jacket. That it was the one idea that had changed everything for her, and especially for Edward.

She reached her hand out for Edward. "I'll see you outside, Bella, is that okay?" She nodded, and walked out the door without a backwards glance.

"I know you have to go with her, Edward. I know you are her mate. I've never doubted that. I don't think ill of you for it."

Edward shuddered at the cold judgment he felt, from the only man he could ever truly think of as his father.

"Don't think I'm only going with her out of loyalty, Carlisle. I may not be as comfortable with what we are as she is, but I know that what she was saying to you… it's all true. I can't escape the truth as I see it."

"I know that, too, son. She's right about some things. One of them is that I have been too willing to think of things in terms of the Cullens versus the world. I have been selfish. Alice and Jasper and I are going to try to set up a farm for vampires, like I mentioned. Perhaps you and Bella will join us one day. If you do, I'll accept you with open arms. I promise you."

Edward nodded and reached out his hand for a handshake. Carlisle did not respond in kind. Very well, Edward thought. He turned his back on his father, on what he had thought of as his home and his life, for the last time. We'll go to Italy, he heard Bella tell him. Just like he would never allow us. We'll do all the things we stopped ourselves from doing because he wouldn't approve. And we'll be happy. Bella might hold it against Carlisle that he believed with too much faith in an idea, but Edward could only think that maybe Bella believed in the idea of happiness with just as much fervor.

He found her waiting on the front steps, smiling and somehow shy. He took her hands and they began to walk the way they had come. They had no idea where they would stay the night, much less any other night. But Edward knew they would find somewhere. They always did.

About halfway to the gate, Reuben suddenly appeared in their path.

"Goodbye for now, grandma and grandpa!" He called out, his voice unnaturally high. "I've got to give you credit, grandma, for tearing Carlisle a new one like that. No one's ever done that before!" Bella shivered involuntarily and grabbed Edward, pulling him as if to keep walking.

"I'll give it to you bloodsuckers," Reuben called to them as they continued on their way, "you may be evil but you sure are useful! Here's to the end of the Cullen coven! Well done! Or maybe, dear grandmother, you might prefer I say, here's to the dissolution of the Cullen covenant."

His laugh echoed behind them as they climbed over the gate and as they walked out into the wilderness.

~*~

16 September 2162

GRAND FORKS

09.00

You're the only one who can pull this off, Daddy, Bella had pleaded. And of course, she could not be denied. It didn't help that she was actually right, as well. Charlie fidgeted in his ill-fitting suit and touched his mustache again. The blond color would wash out in a day or so, but it just felt so wrong. He felt so obvious in his disguise. But humans never seemed to notice, even when things were blatantly off. He didn't elicit that fear that other vampires did. To compound the overwhelming feeling of wrongness, he was in a church, trying to look like he was familiar with them. He looked around and tried to remember the last time he had been in such a place. It wasn't a particularly clear or happy memory.

 _"Renesmee Cullen, do you take Jacob Black to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"_

 _"I do."_

Nessie had looked beautiful, of course, and even Jacob had been handsome in his tux. But he had been so distracted that day that he found he could only remember insignificant details. He had continually wondered at the Cullens and their agelessness, at his 36-year-old daughter who looked like a teenager. And yet no one at the wedding seemed surprised at the display of youth and beauty. He had wished that Renee had not refused to come to her only grandchild's wedding, and to this day that he had been able to speak to her one more time. All his memories were of confusion and puzzlement. He had been so bewildered by the conversation between mother and daughter he had overheard before the ceremony, up in the dressing room, where he had come to give Nessie the same hairpiece he had given Bella at her wedding:

 _"You're not gonna make me go back to high school after this are you, Mom? I couldn't even stand it the first time!"_

 _"No way, sweetheart. I hated it, too, you know. College is so much better, even the second time. Maybe try for a party school after Harvard, just to get a different experience."_

He had so often wished that he could remember more about Bella's wedding, or his own for that matter, but human memories were fickle like that. He was sure that he had fidgeted just like this in the pews at each wedding. They never seemed to have quite enough legroom.

Suddenly, the organ made a loud crash, and the light buzz of conversation ceased abruptly. The congregation, maybe seventy people, was distributed in clumps throughout the sanctuary. Several women were dressed all in white; several men sat up at the front in thick velvet-esque robes. Charlie recognized those as imitations of Volturi capes. But the material was too cheap and they were too tattered to be real. The humans all seemed to know that they should stand at a certain point. Charlie stood along with them. Pastor Dominic began to process up the aisle, holding the Volterra chalice aloft, attended by two women (one of whom looked like one of the the woman Bella and Edward had described) and two young men, humans who could not have been more than sixteen. A song was begun, in unison once again, that Charlie recognized the tune, but the lyrics were unfamiliar. There was much reference to blood, and fire, which was to be expected.

When Dominic had reached the altar, the hymn stopped, just as abruptly as it began. Carefully, with studied solemnity, Dominic placed the chalice in the center of the table, and turned back to face his congregation as the attendants busied themselves pouring various bottles into the giant cup.

"Friends, today is a special day. Today is our anniversary of the foundation of this ministry, here in the new Mecca, one hundred years ago on this day. The world was in turmoil; the scales had fallen from our eyes, the veil of ignorance had been pulled aside. And here in Grand Forks, our forefathers had the foresight to come to this building, half-torn-down in panic and fear, and to rescue it for the purpose of salvation and exaltation. Our forefathers had seen finally with true eyes, what the purpose of our human species was. We here at Blood is Life have carried, and will carry, that message out into the world for as long as it takes."

This received a rousing chorus of cheers, and a "Hallelujah" or two, even. Charlie noticed that the attendants had seated themselves on the steps up to the altar, flanking Dominic. They gazed up at him adoringly as he continued.

"Yes, friends, that is our duty. To bring the good news to all the people of this world. But not the good news of false hope as so many others have preached. Our good news is the good news of purpose and truth. We humans have running in our veins the very lifeblood, the life of the flesh. It keeps us alive, oh yes, but it is more than that. The liquid of our bodies is the very meat and drink of the higher beings who walk amongst us. Here in Grand Forks, we should walk humbly in the knowledge of our privilege to walk alongside them. Instead, we give of ourselves to keep ourselves safe. We think to ourselves that if we are truly good and wise, perhaps we can ourselves be raised to new life. But this is arrogance. The higher beings that are our salvation, that will bring us to new peace and new order, are already here in number. The more of us that try to be exalted, the less of the blood that will run for them. And that is its purpose, make no mistake — the blood that runs in our veins is not truly for us, but for them!"

"Amen!" went the cry. A woman stood up, raising her arms, cried out "Glory!" and then fainted. No one moved to help her.

"We are arrogant in Grand Forks. We think we are doing enough for our true masters. But there is always more. I tell unto you, do not hope for exaltation. Remember the wisdom of our forefathers on this foundation day, who wrote, 'the life of the flesh is in the blood, they said — and this is the truth. Humans have brought their sins to light and are paying the price with death and destruction. But in this destruction there is new life. For they wrote, not knowing the true meaning of their words, and said: It is the blood that maketh Atonement. We give our blood to atone for our sin of trying to destroy our masters. We give our blood so that our masters may truly live. We give our lives if necessary so that our masters may feast. We are theirs and they are ours, now and forever.'"

"We are theirs, now and forever," the congregation repeated, filing out of the pews and lining up in the center aisle. Charlie stood last in the line, far enough back that his true nature could not be revealed by accidental touch.

"They shall be our salvation, now and forever," Dominic intoned, as he lifted the chalice and began to offer it to each parishioner in turn. Most gagged. Some spit the liquid out, right onto the floor.

"They shall be our salvation, now and forever," came the response once again. Charlie was impressed with the sermon, such as it was. It was a good way to prepare these gullible souls to do whatever might be asked of them down the road. All that talk of new life, and salvation could certainly be veiled references to whatever these 'breeding' plans were. And the warning not to 'try to become exalted' — not to seek an illegal change — was very interesting indeed. It seemed unnatural to suggest such a thing in this context, and made Charlie wonder initially if that had been inserted at the behest of some other party. For though none of the lines of Dominic sermon had tripped his sensors, each reference to seeking exaltation had given him a small jolt, of the sort he got when people spoke words they believed, but were uncomfortable with.

At last Charlie reached the front of the line. As instructed, he reached out and touched Dominic on the hand before the chalice was brought to his lips. Quickly, Dominic shook his head and gestured for Charlie to step off to the side. As he did so, Charlie caught a whiff of the liquid in the chalice and realized why. There was some blood in there — probably pig — but it was mostly cornstarch and some kind of chemical agent. No vampire could swallow that successfully.

Charlie stood awkwardly to the side as the organ crashed again and the congregation, walking back to their seats, burst into a happy song. Dominic put down the chalice and walked over to him as the attendants scurried around, cleaning up the mess.

"I am honored, sir, to have your company on this day of all days. What brings you to our humble establishment?"

"I have heard you have need of those like me," Charlie said, doing his best 'pompous Edward' impression.

"All humans have need of your kind, sir, whether they realize it or not," Dominic continued.

"I was told you had need of those of my kind who were… seeking fulfillment."

"Ah, yes." The pastor's eyes lit up. "Please wait here until the end of the service. I'll be able to discuss this with you more fully then."

Charlie sat in a side pew and waited as the pastor went to greet his flock at the door. He glanced around, slightly nervous now. Bella had assured him that Dominic would have 'put the word out' about his need for unattached vampires, and Peter had told him some comments overheard at the bar which made it sound like this was true, but what if the pastor caught on that those investigators he had spoken to were more than they had appeared, or that he was working with the investigators? No matter how often Bella reassured him of his amazing undercover skills, he had a hard time believing it. He felt so much like a cop, even now.

Dominic returned to him shortly, eagerly rubbing his hands together. "Please follow me, Mr. — "

"Signet. Diego Signet," Charlie answered. Hopefully pastor Dominic was not an avid reader of the IMMORTAL PASSIONS series. Certainly it was not appropriate reading material for a man of the cloth!

"Mr. Signet, please come this way. I think you will be pleased with what we can offer you."

Charlie followed Dominic down the same hallway that Edward and Bella had described, only this time instead of breezing past the velvet curtain, they stopped deliberately in front of it.

"You are perhaps wondering why I am so interesting in those vampires who are unfulfilled?"

Charlie nodded, in the most arrogant way possible, like the medieval Spanish lord 'Bellacqua Cygnet' portrayed her 'ancestor' "Diego" to have been. Edward would be furious if he knew how much of Charlie's undercover work involved imitating his mannerisms.

"I am indeed interested," Charlie said.

"I spoke to my flock just now about the dangers of wishing for exaltation. I'm sure you agreed with that part of my message."

Charlie nodded haughtily again.

"But here at Blood is Life, we believe that there is one form of exaltation it is appropriate for humans to seek — that temporary kind that comes from providing not the blood to the higher beings, but rather the flesh."

Charlie allowed his eyes to light up, though he was internally cringing deeply.

"The act of congress with a vampire can be a taste of the true exaltation, without crossing the impermissible border," Dominic continued, enraptured by his own words as they stood there before the curtain.

"And if there is issue?" Charlie asked casually.

"That is impossible!" LIE! Charlie's gift screamed. Dominic did do a good job of pretending shock, though.

"That is not my understanding," Charlie said, reaching out to touch the curtain. Quickly, he yanked it aside, revealing the medical suite. He only had to look at the pastor to see he had already given up.

"Yes, well, that is a possibility we are thinking about," LIE.

"Perhaps you seek to create hybrids, to steal the true power from your true masters?" Charlie grabbed Dominic, lifting him by the nape of his neck.

"No! You have it all wrong, sir!" Not a lie, but that same uncomfortable feeling. Charlie set him down, none too gently.

"We do seek to create hybrids," the pastor admitted, eyes downcast, "but only for the further exaltation of your kind. And under very controlled conditions. We only wish to draw ourselves further into your service, to provide for you the one thing you cannot provide for yourselves…"

"And this has been approved?" Charlie was genuinely surprised at the speed of the pastor's admission. The man's grey head sagged under Charlie's steady gaze.

"Well, no, no, we haven't gotten approval yet. It would be too soon to take such a step."

LIE. Well, now. Someone in the bureaucracy of Grand Forks was getting a little too eager with the rubber stamp, were they? Finally a break.

"Come back to me once you have your approval," Charlie said, hoping that would draw out the information he needed.

"I'll — I'll definitely do that, Mr. Signet, once we have it all set up." It was worth a try, anyway. Charlie handed over his "card". The men parted with a curt goodbye, and Charlie headed to the office as quickly as possible. If this breeding program was approved by someone official, it seemed to Charlie that whatever it was that had happened to Tom McGarry was likely to be a cover-up. McGarry was clearly not a candidate for breeding, but maybe he had found out something he wasn't supposed to, in the course of his mysteriously unidentifiable well-paying job? Or perhaps he had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the powers that be had seen to it that he was effectively erased from the scene?

It was time to talk to the Shadow. 


	8. 7: The Shadow Knows

" Between the potency  
And the existence  
Between the essence  
And the descent  
Falls the Shadow"  
(Eliot, The Hollow Men)

-

17 September 2140

GRAND FORKS

04.45

The V-Police station was pretty deserted at this early hour. Dawn was coming, and today was an officially scheduled Sunday. Police could go outside if they wanted, since their uniforms prevented any unwanted shimmering, but most avoided the office if they could, just like office workers from time immemorial. Charlie liked the station this way, though. He'd always done his best work alone.

This particular quiet day, though, he was not alone. Indeed, he was not working at all. An hour earlier, Bella and Edward had appeared, wholly unexpectedly, at the door to his office. Bella was wearing what was obviously Edward's shirt, and he was clearly wearing just his army0style jacket. Without elaboration, they proclaimed they were "just passing through" and thought they should come see him for a visit. Charlie, of course, could tell there was more than that, but he wasn't about to complain at their half-truths. His raised eyebrow about their attire received only a terse "incident while hunting" which had them seamlessly segued into a conversation about the many advantages of living in GF. Soon, Charlie began to feel like a real estate shill.

"It's fantastic. I never thought it would go this well. Still early stages yet — we've got to see what happens when they get the Weather going. Everyone's saying that it'll be soon. I think it might be difficult to control the vamp influx after that. Probably will needed some kind of visa system. But if you guys are interested, I'm sure you'd have no trouble — "

"Like we said before, Dad, we're just passing through for now. Places to go, people to eat…" Bella had kicked up her boots onto his desk at that and leaned back in her chair, a practiced imitation of his own posture from his days as a human police officer. Edward, meanwhile, had seemed more intrigued by his unintentional sales-pitch.

Thinking of settling down, are you, son? He asked. The gestured Edward made in response was carefully calibrated to be non-committal, but sure looked like a just have to get her on board…

Though Charlie had left the Cullens voluntarily, and had found life as a solitary vampire suited him in many ways, he couldn't deny it was nice to have the only Cullens he cared about nearby. Even if it was only for a little while, he was reminded that he was connected to something out there in the world. It was pretty isolating to be in GF at times. His colleagues at the V-Police were not the most interesting conversationalists, and his lack of interest in active hunting meant he was somewhat lacking for social activities.

Bella was in the middle of outlining her thoughts for a new book series when everything was turned upside-down once again. It started when a young human woman, dressed for a night out, ran into the 'bullpen' area of the station, screaming that we were being attacked. Charlie ran out to her, Bella and Edward following. The woman continued to scream and collapsed in Edward's arms in a dead faint. Once they had awakened her, she screamed again, but managed to get out the words "Turn on the radio! I swear I'm not crazy!"

Charlie dutifully went to turn on the shared radio, finding most stations were staticky. He tried to contact a few of his colleagues who were out on patrol and found those connections fuzzy, but after a few minutes he found a colleague up near the university ruins who also was trying to find a radio. Then, the local news station crackled to life for a moment.

 _Familiar targeted cluster bombs… Government is instituting protocols… the president was addressing the House of Representatives_ …

"See," the woman said, as they got her sitting upright and drinking a can of water. "I told you. It's happening again!"

 _Nuclear drones of similar origin…Eyewitness reports are confused…Rescue workers unable to reach_ …

Bella and Charlie were assaulting Edward with dozens of thoughts. They all circled around one theme: were the mysterious bombers of 80 years ago once again at work? If so, they were clearly not going after vampires, at least not just vampires, this time. Had they bided their time, not content with the simple destruction of the structure of the world of vampires, and now desiring to destroy human society, or what was left of it, as well?

At this time it is believed no vampires were present in the chamber…no survivors at Capitol building…Vice President's location unknown…

At each crackling headline from the radio, the woman's heart rate increased. Soon, she was clutching the arms of the chair so tightly that she was cutting off her circulation. The fear was radiating powerfully out from her, her face flushed. She breathed shallowly.

"Please stay calm, miss," Charlie said, over and over again. Edward decided that it was doing no good for this woman to hide her real thoughts from everyone.

"This woman is afraid that we are going to take advantage of the destruction of the American government in order to drink her blood," Edward said with a smile that could not be classified as reassuring.

 _News Update. Confirmed by multiple eyewitnesses: Capitol Building quote-unquote pulverized during Presidential address. "No chance of survivors" DC fire chief suggests._

"We're not going to kill you," Bella said, getting up and walking away. _You do smell delicious right now though_ … She caught a sharp look from Edward for that. Her attempt to raise any more information from the computers was a predictable failure. None of the six computers in the bullpen were able to connect at all. Bella tried to call the last number Alice had given her, but that too was unsuccessful. The robotic operator informed her that all international lines were down at this time.

Charlie put out a general call to his colleagues over the police radio, suggesting that there was a good chance of rioting and panic, and, unwisely in retrospect, mentioning that the vampire areas might need extra protection. The woman's eyes grew even more impossibly wide.

"You did this! You aren't content with our blood, now you want to rule over us too! It's you, it's always you!" She was standing and raving, gesticulating wildly, and took off running to the door. Edward stopped her by grabbing her wrist, as gently as possible.

"What do you think you are going to accomplish by going out there and spreading panic, telling people it was vampires that did this?" he asked her. She didn't seem to notice that he had read her thoughts.

"I… I… people deserve to know! We need to defend ourselves!"

"How are you going to do that?" Edward asked. "Have you got a few bunker-buster nuclear drones lying around?"

"We'll find a way!" The woman kept pushing against Edward's arm, desperate to get away.

Charlie came up to Edward and took over restraining the woman. He placed her in handcuffs and took her to the cells, ranting and raving all the way.

Bella sat at the computers, trying fruitlessly to connect over and over again. Her thoughts screamed blood and death at Edward. Shocked and even angry, he went to her.

"You shouldn't think things like that about that poor woman, sweetheart," he admonished.

"Can't help what I think," she said.

"Well if you're going to think unjustifiable things, you should have the courtesy not to share them with me!"

"I think you could have justified it, if you wanted to," she said, finally losing her patience with the computer and smashing the case to bits.

"Humans like her are more dangerous to us than you think," Bella said simply. "If we get blamed for this attack…"

"There's no way the Shadow will allow that to happen," Edward said.

"Ah," Bella said with a grimace, "It would be nice if I could believe they actually had any power. But if they never show themselves to the humans, it'll be just like the old days, won't it? Lies and excuses."

"Well, let's see what happens. Now's the time for them to work together with the humans and maybe some good will actually come of this."

"Edward, if I didn't know better I might say you were turning into an optimist!" Bella said with a laugh. I remember when you were the optimist, Edward thought.

The radio continued its sporadic report. Confirmed death toll is now at 5,000 humans, two locations. Continuity of government protocols in place. Keep tuned to this station for any emergency instructions as may be necessary.

~*~

17 September 2162

13.00

The chambers of the Shadow headquarters always smelled like a dungeon to Edward: stale, damp air and cold stone, mold and moss and decomposing animal corpses. He suspected that they liked it that way; it made damn sure that humans would not accidentally stumble upon them, even if they were foolhardy enough to go wandering in the University district for whatever reason. Not that they would be able to see much, or hear anything, if they still managed to wander by. The meetings were conducted in total darkness, with all participants masked and in black, and the volume always at a level that only vampires, and probably dogs, could hear.

His tenure as one of the local representatives of the Shadow legislature had been a pretty boring one, until now. His grand thoughts of a useful and regular investigative pipeline had been entirely unrealized, replaced with the reality of a lot of paperwork and many dull debates on new regulations on changes, or strategic plans for various contingencies that were extremely remote. When he had requested a special session with the whole local branch, even though he promised to show up unmasked, he had not been met with unbridled enthusiasm, and now his insistent questions about the breeding program Swan & Cullen seemed to have uncovered were resulting in outright hostility. Furthermore, he felt himself losing control of the meeting as the five masked and black-clad members who'd agreed to see him began to direct questions at him about his grandson. He felt attacked by their thoughts, filled with dismissive remarks about their "little detective game" and his allegedly unmanly subservience to his wife. His usual ire at such insults he was only able to keep down in an attempt to make this venture not completely useless.

"Listen," he said, after another five minutes of silent thoughts, "I'll answer your questions, but only if you give me some help here. Tell me straight: none of the GF Shadow reps is taking responsibility for approving whatever this program is at Blood is Life?"

"NO!" said five voices. Five minds told him clearly NO. The non-hierarchical nature of the meeting was supposed to be a reflection of the equal status of all vampires, but at the moment, Edward was finding it simply a hindrance.

One thought floated to the top, over the indignation and arrogance. Why doesn't he just ask his dear old Dad? Surely he'd know.

That was enough to get Edward on full alert. Why would Carlisle be involved in something in GF?

"Does the Shadow plan to take any action against Blood is Life for unauthorized breeding?"

"We will have to look into the matter ourselves," a female vampire, with a slightly Spanish accent, said aloud. "If we find that this so-called church is trying to engage in any banned practices, including unregistered breeding, we will certainly report them to the authorities in the proper way."

"But you won't do anything about them yourselves?" Edward knew this question was pointless. The Shadow would never admit to having any power or authority to act, separate from the humans' own structures. The truth, of course, was not so simple. But Edward had not been a member long enough to get much of a sense of how seriously any individuals might take this subordinate nature of the group. In fact, he was beginning to realize, he was frequently unable to tell the thoughts of any individual for whose they were.

The voices, both verbal and mental, only confirmed his frustration, More "NO!" and more arrogance and indignant thoughts came out. One, again, curiously unspecific, seemed to float to the top. We've got our hands full dealing with other operations in that area…can't have too much of a presence down there or the heartbeats will get spooked…so important to keep them calm…

Whoever's thoughts he was hearing, and it was certainly not someone he knew, he couldn't help but wonder if they were trying to help him. It was a secret that he could read minds, but Edward was pretty sure someone here was aware of it. If they, whoever they were, did know he was a mind-reader, they could be deliberately misleading him, too. For a second, he wished he'd brought Charlie along. But telling Charlie that he'd actually joined the Shadow, and wasn't just seeking their help, was not something he thought was a good idea right now. Charlie's natural skepticism about all organized government was pretty severe, and undiminished by the events of his vampiric existence.

Oh, well. He might not be able to tell if the Shadow was lying to him without doing any actual investigating. But that just meant he couldn't be lazy. He could still follow a lead as well as any detective.

~*~

14.30

Jacob was very surprised to see Charlie waiting for him when he arrived at his office after a lunch meeting. Every time they had spoken since his appearance in GF, it had seemed clear to Jacob that Charlie held little respect for what Jacob was trying to accomplish at the IC. But there he stood, holding a raft of papers and looking almost excited to see him.

"Charlie! Come on in," he said, doing his best impression of cheerfulness. They went in and sat down. Charlie dropped the papers on his desk, wasting no time.

"This is all the evidence you'll need. We'd like you to draft an IC warrant against these guys."

Jacob looked down at the file. Blood is Life. Ugh, what a nightmare.

"Why is this an IC concern?" he asked.

"The Veeps won't have anything to do with it. Insist that it's a human-only problem. But we think this McGarry incident is linked to the church, or to someone involved with the church anyway. We've made our case there. That's two species at least."

Jacob nodded. He'd been wanting to have a go at the laziness of the Veeps when it came to human-related concerns. The part of the charter that said they were responsible for the whole city seemed to be getting ignored more and more often. Sigh. More items for the agenda. Thursday's meeting was getting crowded.

"Okay, Charlie. You guys are usually on to something, I'll definitely work on this. But you know — " He paused, suddenly unsure. They clearly needed a little more help than he could give them right now if they were going to get anywhere. Did he want them to get answer, that was another question.

"You know," he forged on, "I think while the warrant's being processed, you could check out the records for Blood is Life at the mayor's archives. Their foundation might have something in it that you could hit them with — for some reason they don't like to talk about how they got started, at least not with outsiders. I bet you could find some violations of the charters in there."

Charlie nodded. Jacob's sudden helpfulness made him suspicious, but he wasn't lying, at least.

"Thanks for your help with our little problem the other day," he tried a different approach. Charlie was convinced that the attack at ABO was case-related. But Jacob's reaction was interesting. He stiffened dramatically, almost as if he felt like he was being insulted, and opened his mouth slightly.

"I know that wasn't pleasant, but from all I saw, it looked like you guys handled that just fine."

"We did, of course. I appreciate that you didn't mention to anyone — at least I'm assuming here — that Bella and Edward were there."

"The Veeps don't need that sort of information to handle some crazy humans on drugs." Hmm, Charlie thought, he's definitely controlling his thoughts, but he's not lying.

"I do hope that you and Bella — and Edward — can get along, Jacob. I know that it would mean a lot to Bella."

"Sure, sure," Jacob said.

"And I know I might be stepping on toes here, but I hope that you and Nessie — "

"Charlie, hold it right there. I'm not going to say anything to you about Nessie and me. I know I haven't been the easiest husband to have in the world, but… it's just a private thing, OK? I just hope that some day she'll call me and ask me to come home."

Charlie nodded. Of course, Jacob was right. But his suspicion that Jacob knew about Nessie's impending visit did not seem to be confirmed. That gave hope to the notion that Jacob was not involved with whatever situation was plaguing her on her journey, at least. Charlie took a deep breath for his last question.

"Did Bella tell you about who they met when they went to B-life?"

Jacob swallowed audibly at that. "No, she didn't tell me," he said carefully.

"But you know who it was, don't you?"

Jacob knew better than to deny anything. "Yes. I know Reuben is in town. But I swear to you I don't know what he's doing with B-life, or anything else for that matter. But he was hardly going to pass up an opportunity to make me feel inadequate, now was he?" True enough.

"Have you ever wished you had a better relationship with your son?" Charlie asked, almost casually. He wasn't even sure why he wanted to know the answer.

"We can't all be the great eternal wonder of the father-child relationship, Charlie," Jacob spat. Charlie winced. That's not what he felt like.

"I know you said… but is what happened with you and Nessie…"

"Stop! I have never blamed her for anything with that. I don't blame myself either. Maybe we shouldn't have tried to have children, maybe we were never meant…"

"Really? That's what you think?"

Jacob sighed. "Look, Charlie, it's so much fun to cry with you over my familial failures, but…"

"I'm not just asking because I want to make you feel bad," Charlie stood, sensing he was about to be dismissed.

"I know that Bella and Edward are convinced that Reuben is some diabolical villain. He's thrilled with their casting him in that role, since he was a kid. I mean, really. But he's not that special. He's a total narcissist. They might be unpleasant, but they're unlikely to be behind something like this case… What benefit would it be to Reuben to do something like that? He's only ever been interested in his own thing, you know that. Humans — well, human men anyway, what use could he have for them?"

Charlie wondered from the feeling of fatigue that this speech produced in his "sense" whether this was the most Jacob had had to say about his son in a long time. It was true, or at least Jacob thought what he was saying was true. But it was something unbearably sad. It made Charlie think for a moment; if it was something in Reuben's own interest that brought him to B-life, it had to be the breeding program. That fit with his ramblings about eternal life, in a way. But it had always been an article of faith in the family that Reuben was the way he was because he hated vampires. It was unfortunate, but someone was going to have to find him, and force him to explain himself, or else.

"Reuben might have decided to be… he could have changed his mind about humans. It's possible anyway." Charlie knew it sounded lame, but it was the best he had to offer.

"Reuben hates vampires more than he hates humans, but he hates everyone, so I doubt it." Jacob looked really upset now.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you, Jacob," Charlie said as he walked to the door. "I do really hope that —"

"I know, Charlie. I hope too."

~*~

19.00

The door at Type ABO had been replaced, this time with a reinforced-steel look that contrasted rather starkly with the speakeasy vibe, but after word of the attack spread it seemed prudent to go for safety over style. Overall, the attack had been a net positive for business; curiosity-seekers had shown up in drove and stayed for the pleasant atmosphere and wide selection of beverages. Word of mouth was really working in their favor. When Bella walked in, she had to jostle through a thick crowd of gruff-looking vampires and an equally scruffy band of humans, much friendlier than the previous visitors. Some of the humans waved excitedly at each other when they saw her, and one brave woman stepped forward, clutching a cocktail napkin.

"Excuse me, um…" she began unpromisingly. Bella fixed her with her highest-wattage smile.

"Do you want me to sign that?" she asked, pointing at the napkin.

"Um… that would be really great. I have a pen here somewhere…" the woman began digging in her purse, but Bella produced her own "autograph pen" from her pocket immediately. It was a nice blood-red color. She signed the napkin in her usual difficult to decipher scrawl and wondered idly if the woman planned to keep it or sell it. She didn't check too often, but she'd seen her signed items go at the market for even $40, not bad for something that couldn't even really be verified as hers.

After the woman retrieved the napkin and ran back squealing to her friends, Bella had a clear path to the bar, where both Peter and Charlotte were working quickly to fill a large line of glasses. Bella slid underneath the bar and leaned back against the smoky mirror that was such an important piece of their ambience. "Can I help you guys any? I feel bad I wasn't able to get here much to help with everything."

"We've got it, girl, don't worry. Our new boy should be getting here any second. Just give us a few shakes here and we'll go to the office."

Charlotte had called earlier in the day, while Edward was still with the Shadow. Bella had hoped they might have a tip, but instead Charlotte had reported that they had had a slightly disturbing occurrence that might be connected to the attack, and thus perhaps to the case. Of course, she had been reluctant to divulge more on the phone. Peter and Charlotte were even more paranoid about phones than most; after all it was an overheard phone-call which had started much of the trouble back in Louisiana.

The new boy arrived; he looked about sixteen but insisted that he'd been twenty-two. "Name's George," he said, all politeness. Bella smiled at him and thought that he looked familiar, but he didn't seem to recognize her. Though that could be because he struggled to look her in the eye. At Bella's skepticism, Charlotte insisted that George really was useful behind the bar, and the three of them retired to the soundproof and triple-locked room in the back of the office.

"What's the deal, guys?" Bella was mildly impatient. She pretended not to mind big crowds and the almost-inevitable recognition that came with it, but Peter and Charlotte knew that she didn't really enjoy it as much as she liked to claim.

Peter went to the cooler-safe and withdrew a thick package, wrapped in a towel.

"This appeared in a box on our outdoor steps this morning. It was by itself, no coolant or anything, no note," he said, carefully unwrapping the towel. The package was clearly a B-Clinic bag, full with a very fragrant and enticing variety of human blood. But rather than be labelled with the required B-Clinic documentation, it was wrapped in thick white bandages. Across the bandages on the top side were several strips of heavy white tape. In block handwriting across the tape was written, in thick black ink, a simple but puzzling inscription:

TRUTH

Bella held the bag in her hand. The blood bag was overfilled and had started to clot. Bella took a long sniff, detecting nothing beyond the same initial sense she'd had initially: it smelled lovely. Much lovelier than non-circulating blood should. But despite its loveliness, it was very non-specific. Bella's discerning palate was intrigued, at least. She wanted to taste it.

"Did you try it?" she asked. Peter and Charlotte looked at her like she had two heads.

"Of course not!" Peter said. "Who knows what that is? We thought we should report it, at first, but then…"

Bella nodded. It was an unspoken agreement at this point to avoid the V-Police unless absolutely necessary.

"It smells human. Nothing bad they could really do to it, is there?" Bella ran her finger up and down the peeling tape. Peter shrugged. He was right, you never knew. Vampires believed that nothing put in human blood could affect them. It was true of all known drugs, recreational or medicinal, and of all known diseases, acute or chronic. Of that Bella had more than enough personal experience to be certain. But blood like this was clearly from an illegal blood-seller and thus it was illegal to even have, much less taste. And there was always the chance that someone had figured out a way to corrupt the blood, to make it dangerous instead of nourishing.

"Could this be some kind of a tip-off? 'TRUTH': is that some kind of message? Like, I don't know if it's a good message because it could be either 'find the truth' or 'don't try to find the truth, because this is what will happen to more humans if you do," Charlotte fidgeted with the edge of a chair as she spoke.

"I don't think it's a message," Bella said, placing the package back in the towel before she was any more tempted. Peter put it back in the cooler-safe, and locked it tight. Even through the thick walls of the safe, now that she knew it was there, it was calling to Bella ever so softly. "Like you say, it's so ambiguous. It looks to me like someone's brand."

"Like a seller?" Peter had seen a few similar such packages before, though they were usually adorned with a picture that referred to the seller in a cryptic way, not a word that did no such thing.

"Yeah, I think that's what it must be. GF likes to claim it's run the sellers out of town, or up the line at least, but everyone knows they're out there."

"But why would Mr. TRUTH give us a free sample? I mean, we're a business here. If he wants to do a deal, this seems like an odd way to go about it."

"Definitely. I've got to think Mr. TRUTH himself is not responsible for this little gift. Perhaps someone else wants you to find him. Maybe to expose him?"

"Could this have anything to do with our little fracas? Didn't one of them say something about the 'true owners' of the city?"

"Could be. But I'm not sure how it would be linked to them. Humans aren't usually involved in the sales-end of illegal blood, are they?" Bella remember one or two cases, but they were usually providers who tried to sell their own supply; that didn't tend to end well.

That seemed to be all there was to say about the odd present. "Let me know if you get any more gifts from our friend. If nothing else, it would be interesting to find out what he's doing to make it smell so good."

Peter and Charlotte gave each other a look that Bella knew well. "What?" she snapped.

"I think you are way more into this TRUTH blood than we are. Maybe it's not TRUTH's own personal brand — maybe he's figured out yours?" Now, there was an unpleasant thought.

"How could anyone do that? And more important, why would anyone want to do that?" Bella realized now that Peter and Charlotte had suspected this as soon as they'd showed her the package. Why didn't they say anything?

"Don't you think, honey," Charlotte said, reaching out to touch Bella's arm, in a casual gesture that didn't seem so casual, "isn't it possible, that this has something to do with what those vamps in Louisiana — "

Argh, Bella thought. They'd thought it was about this even before they'd showed it to her. Why were they so convinced that she needed to be thinking about all that now?

"Is that really what you think is going on? Nutty vampire cult that thinks I'm their queen follows us up here? We killed them all!"

"Maybe we missed some."

Oh, good heavens, Bella thought. But the more she pondered, the less sense it really made. The vampire "Hatfields," as they'd dubbed them, had not been the blood-selling types. They were more "the end is nigh, hide in a bunker" types. Business plans weren't their style.

"Don't you see, Bella? You've got to face it sooner or later. You can't use the excuse of the case not to tell Edward if it might be a part of the case!" It was so annoying when Charlotte was the sensible one.

How would she even begin to explain this to Edward?

 _The night was dark as squid ink, so lacking in light that even vampiric senses were dulled. The water was up to their knees and filled with sucking mud and so many snakes. The snakes seemed to be attracted by the vampires' coolness in the stifling, wet heat. Peter had insisted that the only way to approach the compound was from underneath, but after three hours of slogging through the swamp they had yet to find the outlet tunnel that their weaselly human informant had asserted was here. But as it turned out the weren't going to need the tunnel tonight — suddenly there was an unearthly whooping noise and the water splashed in sickening waves everywhere as a group of vamps — twenty or so — streaming out of the mangroves and encircled them. They continued to make their war-whoops as the slowly walked forward, until the circle was no more than fifteen feet away from the three of them. They stood facing outward, tight against each other, hands up in fighting posture. But if it came to a fight, twenty against three was not even worth trying._

 _"You came to see us!" a mellow, sweet female voice called out. "We were hoping it would be sooner!"_

 _"Your attendants should relax. We mean you no harm," boomed a deep bass. Peter and Charlotte audibly snickered at being classified as attendants, but they all seemed to realize that playing along was the only strategy._

 _"What do you want?" Bella asked, scanning her head back and forth, trying to get a clearer sense of how many there were and their true mood. The vamps in the circle, though, were apparently not interested in answering direct questions._

 _"How can you question our devotion?" A thin, reedy vampire with a slight southern accent offered._

 _"Your devotion? To what?" Bella relaxed slightly in response to a general softening of the stances of the circle. She took a step forward toward the voice. Peter and Charlotte remained on high alert behind her._

 _"Why, to you, of course. To the Black Swan. To the one who chose."_

 _"The chosen one? But I'm not chosen — "_

 _The owner of the deep bass voice stepped toward her now, his massive form, still obscure in the darkness, exuding some sort of authority. Perhaps he was the leader they had been trying to locate._

 _"Not the chosen one. You were not chosen, indeed. But you did choose. In the days of old, it was not for humans to choose our life. But you did, even knowing the dangers, you chose to be one of us. You are the one who chose."_

 _"People choose to become vampires all the time. They have to prevent humans from changing in the numbers they want to! It's nothing special — "_

 _"Now, in this world, where our power is known, and where the humans are weak, it might be nothing special. But for you, it was a true sacrifice. We honor you in all our ways."_

 _Peter and Charlotte felt comfortable now that there wasn't going to be an attack, and Bella could feel them untensing. But she was tense once again. Was this why she'd been sent on this mission? Because these weird vampires saw themselves as her minions?_

 _A small female vampire stepped close to her and turned around. "See?" she said, pointing at her back. She was wearing a replica of the Desolation Angels jacket that had become associated with the Black Swan in Italy. God, was she being merchandised?_

 _All Bella could do at this point was to throw up her hands. "Do want me to give you orders?" she joked. But the enthusiastic chorus that greeted her statement made it clear that the Hatfields wanted just that._

 _"Okay," Bella said, slow and cautious, "for now, retreat into the compound and hold position. I'll return tomorrow." There was no pause between her order and the response. Without even a glance, the circle melted back into the mangrove forest, moving as silently as they had approached._

 _Apparently, some vampires hadn't taken well to the freedoms of a world without rulers. Incredibly, they had appointed Bella to be their queen. Their reasoning was weak, but Bella knew that this wasn't the sort of problem that could be solved by rationality. She was no fan of the authority and power that came from her fame, but had always seen it as an unavoidable consequence of her own choices over the past few decades. Now, it seemed, this was true, but it wasn't her recent choices that had placed her in this swamp at the head of a zealous vampire militia. Instead, it was the choice she saw as the only meaningful choice she'd made as a human: the choice to cease to be one._

 _The snakes curled around her feet as she stood, looking amused and bemused before her "attendants."_

 _"I feel like I should enlist a squadron of flying monkeys," she said. Peter and Charlotte laughed, hollow sounds in the heavy air._

"Oh, by the way, Edward," Bella said, as lightly as possible, "there was a cult of vampires who thought I was the savior of the race, so the President sent me to exterminate them, but maybe we didn't do as good a job as we thought? That's going to go over so well."

Charlotte looked sympathetic, but still insistent. "Do you doubt him, really? Can there be anything about your life together that makes you unsure of him?"

Bella shook her head, but Charlie would have known her lie. She had never been able to explain to any other vampire how she lived in constant doubt. No one believed it now, especially, not even Edward, who should have known better. After everything, after years and years, she could still feel herself standing on the edge of a cliff, a fortress' rampart, a ship's mast, a sea island, as it began to crumble underneath her.

 _The world was on fire_ …she would have to watch it burn, as many times as it took.


	9. 8: I am come to send fire on the earth

"For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up."  
(Hosea 8:7)

I.

10 September 2132

ZOCCA, ITALY (on the Via Dante Alighieri)

13.00

"All set," Bella called as she slammed open the rooftop hatch and jumped up.

The wind whipped by, loud and fierce, causing her hair to fly everywhere and her dress first to flutter angrily and then press against her sides. Her whole body seemed to prickle with unfamiliar heat. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself as she walked toward the parapet. Edward sat on the wall in his ripped shirt, legs dangling, with a good view of the entrance to the decrepit structure.

"Ready?" He asked, stretching his hand to her. Together, without a word, they hopped over the edge, landing gracefully on the cobbled street below. They counted silently, and indeed just as they reached 30 they heard the tell-tale rumblings. And ever-so-faintly felt the flash of air. From their new position, a quarter-mile away, just past a well that looked like it had last been used in the sixteenth century, not last week, they stopped and turned to watch.

" _They make a desert, and call it peace_ ," Bella muttered. Edward raised an eyebrow; if Bella was quoting anything pre-Dante, here, she must be feeling quite gloomy. He gripped her shoulder and pulled her into his chest. _This part always gives me a flashback to '60_ , she thought, sounding apologetic. Edward nodded; unlike the rest of Europe, it was still impossible in Italy to avoid reminders of the devastation. Someone had indeed made a desert out of Italy, but there was certainly no peace here, only low-level constant fighting.

A thundering crack boomed out, the sound wave washing down the street. The old castle keep seemed to fold in on itself, with only the shooting flames coming from inside to make it look anything other than natural. The stones disappeared into dust, the iron chains and locks and bars shattered like shrapnel, forced up into the sky by the explosive charges. No human sounds, not a single piercing scream, made it to their vantage point. Good, Bella thought, looks like we didn't miss any this time. Edward had begun to think that her red eyes glowed like hot coals when she spoke, or thought, such blood-thirsty things. He didn't tell her how it made him feel, in part because he was confused. But in this moment, he became convicted that his confusion was a result only of his lingering Cullen-guilt, and that the other, much more pleasant feelings, were the one he should focus on.

"Your eyes glow," he said as they turned up the Via Macello, to head out of the city and collect their reward at the gate.

"Glow?" she smiled, or possibly smirked, at him from under her lashes.

"When you think about…blood," he said.

"Oh," she said. Edward was surprised that she didn't make a joke out of it. But hen he grew less surprised as she kissed him, so forcefully and unexpectedly that they fell over, into the overgrown weeds along the street. He responded eagerly, and they were well on their way to rendering their clothes even more indecent when they heard a gulp and then a high-pitched yelp from the road. Carefully re-arranged, they looked back, to see the young blond girl they'd planned to meet at the gate.

"Mi dispiace," she said, and then switched to English. "I saw it was done so I went to find you."

"Well, you found us!" Bella said, dusting herself off.

"I've got your money, of course," the girl said. She held out a full-looking canvas satchel. Bella looked inside the opened bag.

"Looks like it's what we agreed," she said. Edward took the bad from the girl and nodded.

"Listen," the girl said, "thank you so much for this. You have maybe saved us. If there is any saving to be done."

Edward was about to launch into his usual 'it's just us doing our job' speech but he cut himself off mid-syllable with a look from Bella.

"Go back to your house, open your store, live your life, then what those men did is something you won't need to be saved from," she said. The girl looked at her, not quite understanding.

"I'm afraid there'll be more," she said, "there's always more."

"Soon, there won't be," Bella said. "We promise you that." The girl nodded, then, and scurried away, back in the direction of her family's butcher shop. Maybe she will be okay, Bella thought.

It was in the back of the shop that she had met them; they had come to buy some pig's blood as they had grown quite hungry after several days in the countryside. She had burst into tears and explained the whole sad story of the town to them, and in particular the story of how a gang of armed men had killed her parents for refusing to give them all the meat in the store. When she saw the strange delight in the eyes of her two customers, she had offered them an amount of money — surely all she had — to get rid of the gang, who had declared themselves, in now-traditional fashion, signori della cittá. Bella had immediately accepted, for half of her offered amount. Edward had bargained her down to a third.

"She'll be fine," Edward said. "No one else is going to try to be signori here. They know that it belongs to us now. Hell, if they didn't see this one, they'll hear about it. Or they'll have heard about Querciagrossa, or the one before…'rumors fly fast as feet'." Isn't it 'faster than feet'? Bella mused. They began to bicker about this and other Italian idioms they'd been learning as they set out once again for the gate.

Along the road, they met only a few humans. No one other than that girl had been willing to look them in the eye, and now was no different. People crossed to the side of the road, walking in the mud and dust, so as to give them a wide berth. One man's dog, an ugly-looking massive terrier, ran to them and started to follow them; he refused to approach them to retrieve it. Eventually Bella stared at the ratty thing and shouted at him in Italian to go back to his master — and he did. The gate-man gleefully received their gratuity but shrunk back into his small wooden booth as soon as his fingers closed around the bundle of notes. He called out softly after them as they jumped the broken wooden barrier, "Hope you had a pleasant visit, angeli…" Once they were far enough outside of town, they allowed themselves to giggle at that. But their good mood, as ever, was temporary. Realization quickly set in as to what their upcoming destination would be.

Their next 'visit' was not going to be so pleasant or so simple.

II.

13 September 2132

RUINS OF VOLTERRA (along the Via Lupia)

Their first kill here was not even within a mile of the city — or the former city, as it was now officially a UNESCO historical site. No one here was an ordinary tourist, though. The humans were all either looters, or pilgrims, or thrill-seekers — or all three. The vampires were just very angry and looking for revenge for their former masters. All along the Via Castello and the Via Lupia, various entrepreneurs had set up booths catering to these particular clientele. One such booth, selling tacky tee-shirts with crude drawings of fangs, lay in pieces. A man, presumably the proprietor, crouched on the ground, cowering, his head actively bleeding from several gashes. Over him stood a beefy man in a flimsy red cloak, waving a piece of wood that looked like he had grabbed it from the booth itself.

Bella lifted the red-cloaked man up by the neck. "You think it's a great idea to beat someone bloody right here, right now? Are you trying to attract all the lurking bloodsuckers? Because once they get him, they'll be more than happy to drink from you!"

The man looked confused at the vampire telling him not to attract vampires. She set him down and he immediately raised his arm to strike the booth attendant again. Before he could, Bella grabbed his wrist. She felt the bones crush, and twisted his now-limp arm behind his back, kicking him so that he fell to his knees.

"He's offended by this gentleman's honest trade," Edward said, picking up the piece of wood used in the attack and tossing it from hand to hand.

"He's profaning the great glory of our signori," the man looked back and forth rapidly between Bella and Edward. Bella stood facing away, looking out to see if any other vamps were coming so that she could protect the injured man, but Edward kept his bright red eyes fixed on their chosen prey. "Don't you see that? How can you let him make fun of you like this? Gods are not mocked!"

Edward rolled his eyes. "Gods are not mocked by a silly drawing on a shirt, you scum. Vampires, anyway, are mocked by men like you who think it makes sense to attack your fellow humans over our immortal honor."

No one's coming, Bella confirmed. Edward gestured to the kneeling man, with a questioning eyebrow.

"I'm still absolutely stuffed, honey," she said with a toothy smile, and was gratified by the resulting rapid increase in the man's heart-rate. "I'll clean up the blood blood so that our friend here might make it to morning. This one — " and she kicked his foot so he tipped forward slightly, "is all yours."

"Any last requests?" Edward asked the man in a bright voice. He only groaned.

~*~

They stayed off the main road as much as possible after that. It was inconvenient, but there were just too many groups of red-cloaked or black-cloaked humans (and, inexplicably, one group dressed in blue over-alls), and their inane, ill-informed and bizarre thoughts were driving Edward a bit mad. The circuitous route they took meant that by the time they arrived at the old gates to the city, it was ten a.m., and the sun was high in the sky.

"I'll never understand why the Volturi wanted to live in such a sunny place," Edward remarked.

"Too much Catholic envy, is my guess," Bella said. I won't quote from my dissertation, I promise, she grinned. To herself, though, she continued to muse on the inversion of Roman Catholic imagery she found in all the Volturi iconography. Of course, at the time she had written the thesis, she was only able to focus on "legends," but most of the ones she wrote about were real.

A phalanx of shimmering vampires glided by them as they headed toward the main square. At first the graceful, silent group seemed harmless. They made their way through the twisting and turning streets, jumping over the boulders and sinkholes that now made the path even more treacherous, and as they got closer to the center of town, they began to have the unshakeable feeling that they were being watched. Am I being paranoid? Bella asked, scanning constantly.

"No, something's definitely weird."

As they approached ever closer to the hill-top center of the former town, they began to see more buildings guarded by heavily-armoured vampires, in front of signs in fourteen or fifteen languages, warning

NO HUMAN ADMITTANCE — DANGER OF DEATH

The vamps-in-armor trick was surely for intimidation only, but it seemed to be working. Fewer and fewer humans seemed to be around, and there were only a few be-cloaked fanatics arguing with the guards that they didn't care about radiation, they just wanted to see the place of the 'great sacrifice' or whatever the different buldings had been named. It didn't make a lot of sense why anyone would want to see it, they thought. Most of these still-radioactive buildings were identical piles of rubble.

Next to the still-standing but non-functional "great fountain," they passed a young woman holding a toddler in her arms. Edward shook his head, but when he saw that the little boy was reaching for him, he started making funny faces. He'd enjoyed doing this very much when Renesmee was still growing. The child's mother, though still shy of them, smiled like Edward's antics were the greatest thing she'd ever seen, and put the toddler down. He ran straight to them, waving his arms.

"Mama!" the boy cried, "bianco e nero! Bianco e nero." Then the child solemnly nodded and grabbed Edward's leg tightly. Bella and Edward laughed. Young children hadn't developed the usual human sense of fear around them, and Edward was often a hit like this, but this boy was extra-excited. Bella looked from Edward to herself, and saw why the boy would call them "white and black" — Edward's shirt was somehow still shining bright white, and his soft linen trousers still immaculate as well. Meanwhile, she was clad all over in black — black jeans, a black tee shirt and her favorite black leather jacket.

"Si, bianco e nero," she crouched down and said to the boy, pointing first at Edward and then at herself. The child unlatched from Edward and jumped into her arms, startling her. He smiled and touched her face, babbling a little, and then saying clearly,

"Mille grazie, ragazza cigna!" Why is he thanking me? Bella asked in her thoughts. Edward's eyes suddenly widened.

"Tuo figlio e delizioso," Bella said, as warmly as she could, handing him back to his mother. She took him, nodded and thanking them repeatedly, as she almost ran away.

"What was that all about?" Bella asked aloud.

"I saw his thoughts. He seemed to see you in a big fight, but there were lots of people there. Looked like they were the same groups we've seen today. Red and black cloaks, some vamps, maybe underground?"

"The boy was seeing the future? Why'd he call me 'swan girl'?"

"Could be the future, yes," Edward said. "It reminded me of the way Alice's thoughts sometimes look, a little spiky on the edges. Maybe he somehow knows your maiden name…"

"Nothing about what the fight was about or who it was with?"

"No," Edward took her hand, "probably not worth worrying about, Swan girl!" he was cheerful in tone, but it didn't take mind-reading powers to see he was definitely worrying himself.

Just then, a group of seven humans rushed out of the guardhouse-tower, one of the few buildings that had been rebuilt to house a museum and information center. It was also one of the few places that had human guards and workers. A few shouts of "Stop!" in various languages had no effect. Bella looked at Edward questioningly.

"This isn't what I saw the boy's thoughts. But I can hear theirs. They've stolen something!"

"Him," Edward pointed at the largest man, standing in the middle. "He killed a guard inside!"

That was all Bella needed. Thinking at Edward that he should take out the three in front, who rushed at him all at once, she vaulted over them and landed on the target's back. In his hands he held a velvet sack which looked like it contained an irregularly-shaped relic. Gingerly, Bella reached forward, aiming to grab the sack. The man took advantage of her uncharacteristic interest in something other than his blood and deliberately fell to the ground, momentarily shaking her off. She caught the sack as they fell, exploring the shape with her hands. If she wasn't mistaken, this was one of the remaining chalices. Most had been destroyed, but these days some wealthy vampires would pay $15,000 or more for one. Bella herself had contemplated saving up for one, but last she'd heard the remained were all in the museum. She swung the sack strap over her shoulder and returned her attention to the thief/murderer. The whole falling incident had only taken a few seconds, but she saw Edward had incapacited the first three and was working on the remaining three standing. Her target rolled onto his back and smiled, very proud of himself.

"Dude," he called out to his companions, "I just totally dropped a vampire!" But that was the last thing he said, as Bella threw him over onto his stomach and sunk her teeth extra-ferociously into his neck. Cocky bastards never taste great, she thought, but it would do. She was done in ten seconds or so, and looked up to see that a small audience had appeared around them. Edward had taken a drink, as well, she saw. Must have found something guilty in his head, she knew. A blue-clad human approached, very hesitant, and she raised herself at human speed and went to him. She handed him the velvet sack.

"There you are," she said in Italian. "I'm pretty sure it's undamaged."

"Mille grazie," he replied. He turned and ran back to the guardhouse. Bella shrugged. She wondered idly if the guards simply accepted looting as a way of life here, and why they didn't simply staff the whole area with vampires. Probably weren't all that many vampires eager for guard duty, of course. She certainly wouldn't be.

When she looked down at herself, she was surprised to see that she had not gotten covered in dust. In fact, if anything, she was slightly damp. Looking at the scene of the altercation, she realized that the cobblestones were all wet. That was odd. It didn't rain much, and the fountain hadn't worked since '60. Edward was being assisted in moving the two bodies by a vamp-guard who had appeared from behind the guardhouse, and the human guards were tying up the surviving looters, roping their hands and feet together. Bella went to Edward, who was chatting with the vamp-guard, in Romanian.

"Ionut here says this is the first time that they've been able to stop the museum looters without any damage to the relics." These vamp guards must be the absolute worst, Bella thought. From the look of Ionut, that seemed true. Most vampires were lean and fit, specimens beyond human attainability. Ionut was thick, stocky, with droopy eyes. He spoke slowly and chewed his lip.

"It will be very pleasing to have stopped these men," Ionut said, and wandered off, brandishing his clipboard.

"Do we have to give a statement or sign something?" Bella asked Edward.

"No," Edward said, laughing lightly, "apparently they want to give us a medal or something. I suppose there were tons of witnesses…" The crowd of humans that remained around the scene of the incident was calm, snapping photos (some of Bella and Edward, some of the humans, or so it seemed), chatting, and eating ice-cream. No vampires appeared to tell them to move along.

"Seems like Italian justice as usual, even in Volterra," Bella mused.

"You know," Edward put his arm around her, "they'd probably give you some nice piece from the museum if you asked."

"Oh, I couldn't do that!" Bella swatted at him. "I like that they are at least trying to preserve the history here. Vampires, in general, don't seem to be as interested in history as I am. I suppose the past has a way of losing its meaning. Maybe it doesn't matter…"

A sudden dry wind blew past, kicking up a little dust, and carrying a strangely familiar smell. Bella and Edward looked at each other, but neither of them could place it. They decided to keep walking, and after only a moment realized they stood in front of the building wherein Bella had saved Edward's life, the first time. The building itself was mostly intact, even the heavy wooden door looked the same as Edward remembered it. The roof was shattered, though. As they stood before the door, they both hesitated. Edward had wanted to show Volterra to Bella for so many years, to bring back to her the fuzzy memories she'd had of their time there, at least the ones that he felt were important. But now that they were here, seeing the formerly great city reduced to rubble and cheesy souvenir stands, it seemed strange how fervently they'd been drawn here.

Just as Edward was about to suggest turning around and leaving, moving forward on their great Italian safari, as they'd taken to calling it, he collapsed to the ground. The most incredible searing pain filled his body, stretching through every ice-cold vein and bubbling up right behind his eyes. He tried to scream but his throat felt like it was being scalded with hot water and electricity at the same time. His vision blurred and then disappeared completely, and he could only see the pain he felt behind his eyes. It was the pain of the change, only more — the change but with the addition of vampirically-enhanced senses. It was pain he had only felt once before…

Dimly, in the back of his mind, he felt Bella's hand on his back, trying to reach him. He knew what he needed to tell her, but she couldn't hear him, couldn't understand him. Then he heard it. The smell may have been only passingly familiar, but the voice was burned into his memories with the pain.

It was a round, deep, but still feminine voice. It was the voice of rage and hatred.

"Oh," it called out, swooping down on them from the roof of the house. "I assure you, Bella… History does matter to some of us!"

Jane!

Bella thought: Jane is alive? But as she immediately raised her shield around Edward, she knew he couldn't hear her. The shield was strong, but once the pain entered it would not be denied. He felt him slightly relax under her touch, though. And she was relieved that she had kept her shield up after the recent fight. It had become second nature to her, but in this case, it had almost certainly saved her life, and Edward's, once more. Now it was Bella's task to keep them alive. Edward began to mewl like a very upset kitten when Bella stepped away from him, but she knew that if she was going to face Jane, she could not do more for Edward than she had already done.

The small, blonde, and fierce vampire leapt down from the roof, landing ten or so feet away, in the street. The crowd of humans had been slow to realize something was happening, and now the were tittering once again, snapping photos and craning their necks around the fountain to get a better view.

"Aw yeah, girl vamp fight!" called a human from the crowd. Instantly he dropped to the ground, screaming and writhing. A hush settled over the humans, but they did not do the sensible thing and run away.

"I thought you were all dead," Bella said, matter-of-fact.

"I was on my way to Siberia," Jane said. "I was delayed a day, or they would have got me there instead."

"You know the Cullens had nothing to do with what happened," Bella began to walk toward the alley, seeking to draw Jane away from the human crowd. But she wasn't moving.

"I don't know that, but I do find it hard to believe they would bother with anything so… globally relevant." Jane swiveled suddenly and kicked Edward in the chest. His inert body flew through the air, landing on top of the fountain, which crumbled underneath him. He didn't rise. He didn't seem to be conscious, as impossible as that was.

"Good. He won't be bothering us for a while now," Jane said, rubbing her hands together. "Once I'm done with you, I'll have plenty of time for him."

Bella looked around. The street and square had filled up, both humans and vampires streaming in from everywhere nearby, drawn by the shouts, the whispers, or simply the feeling that something was happening that they needed to see. At least five obvious journalists with heavy video cameras had made their way to the front of the crowd. Maybe this sort of thing is a regular occurrence in Volterra… Whatever was going to happen, it was going to happen right here.  
Jane flew at Bella, arms extended forward, knocking her to the ground. She stood over her, her bright white lace dress giving her the appearance of a naughty Victorian schoolgirl.  
"You know they made me the mayor of this town? La Sindaco della Volterra!" she said, with a practiced roll of the r's. Bella tried to get up onto her elbows, but Jane pressed her back down with the heel of her white patent leather Mary Jane.  
"Who made you? No one lives here!" Bella gasped out, not sure why she was bothering to argue. She closed her eyes for a second, willing Edward to recover. Being unable to speak to him in her thoughts was devastating.  
"Oh, the guards and whatnot. It's very nice." Bella grabbed Jane's boot and pushed as hard as she could, getting far enough that she was able to roll out from under her and get up into a crouch.  
"Scacchi! Chess match!" a human voice called out. "la Bianca contra la Nera!" It was a game to them. They might not know the history between them, but that was unimportant. All they saw was a rare evenly matched fight.  
Bella flew at Jane low, hitting her across the waist with her arms extended sideways. Jane faltered slightly, but recovered almost immediately, bringing her arm down with a solid CRACK against Bella's shoulder. Bella felt a fissure developing and retreated back as far as she could.  
"Why do you need to do this?" Bella choked out, feeling the pain as she concentrated on keeping the fissure as immobile as possible, to start its healing. "What do you gain from this?"  
"Are you going to tell me you didn't come here to take me down? I've heard all the rumors, you and Eddie over there have the humans thinking you are the signori of the countryside."  
"We had no idea that you were even alive! I swear!"  
"Oh, fine. Your little righteous act doesn't fool me, even if the humans are all buying it. 'Save us! Save us!' It's disgusting that you even listen to them. Look what they did to us! A little obeisance seems only fair in recompense…" She gestured grandly around her, at her territory so reduced by human technology.  
"Let me guess, you're the one encouraging all these so-called pilgrimages here," Bella said. The fissure was mostly gone, but she kept back. Jane shifted into a crouch, and shifted her voice low, to a tone that the humans couldn't hear.  
"They don't deserve saving, even from each other!"  
"Well, let's just agree to disagree. It's the way of the Cullens, after all…"  
Jane spoke out, loud and ringing, again. "But you don't follow the way of the Cullens anymore, do you? It's all the way of the Swan, now! That's what I don't understand." And quiet again. "So what if I invite some guests here for my own pleasure. They come willingly, they love to be an offering unto my greatness. Humans love nothing more than the idea of a noble sacrifice."  
"What about being drained of your blood in a dank dungeon and left to rot is a noble sacrifice?" Bella screamed.  
Quiet. Jane began to stalk forward at human pace. Bella held her ground and prepared a new tactic. "Why do you think you're better than me? The people you kill are just as dead, just as much food for worms…"  
Bella responded herself on a non-human wavelength. "I don't trick them into thinking they're dying for the greater good, or going to a better place. I just take out the lowlifes, try to give the sort of people you're killing some way to live here."  
"What would Doctor Daddy Cullen say, I wonder?" Jane mused. She pounced then, but Bella had predicted the move and jumped straight up, coming down on top of her back. Grabbing Jane's left arm, she pulled with all her might and began to run. Jane's arm came off in her hands, and Bella threw it, hard as marble, into the fountain where Edward still lay. Enough about the freakin' Cullens, already! Bella longed to scream in her triumph. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her beloved was beginning to stir, and her heart sang a little. The crowd began to titter again, though no one was brave enough to cheer for a winner.  
"Carlisle believes me to be on the same level as you. Right now, I'm OK with that," Bella said loud enough for the nearest video camera to capture. She barreled forward into Jane, toppling her onto her wounded side, and was gratified to hear a huge scream. But a second later she felt herself flying through the air, pushed off Jane with all her might. She landed awkwardly on her back, and couldn't move for a precious second. All thoughts of moral victory were gone from her now. Her vampiric instinct to win, to conquer and to destroy took over and she willed herself forward, in a raging whirlwind that, even as she felt it, did not feel like herself. The only time she remembered feeling this way was when she was a newborn, tasked with protecting her daughter…  
"Without us, the humans will destroy themselves," Jane said, appearing unexpectedly to Bella's left. That I agree with, Bella thought, but she had decided there would be no more conversation. Savage, she launched herself over Jane, climbing to the roof from which Jane had appeared. She risked a peek beneath her, and saw that as she suspected there was a hole in the floor, leading directly to the Volturi chamber. The smell of death wafted up and filled her nostrils, urging her on.  
Jane seemed like a wounded bird, then, but one that was seeking its own fate. She zoomed over until she stood under Bella's position, daring her to come down. It's like she wants me to attack her… But Bella held her advantage. Less than a hundred feet away, she saw Edward sit up, holding his head. He looked up in time to catch her eye, shaking his head. He can't help me. If he tries to, she'll kill him.  
Bella stood still, waiting. To the humans it was only ten or so seconds, but to Bella, and to Jane, it was as if a lifetime. Their minds, almost separate from their consciousness, considered and rejected move after move, plan after plan. A chess computer would be almost as fast. Jane acted first, running at the building, throwing all her force against the nearest support beam. Bella's rooftop hold began to fracture and crumble around her. She's trying to drop me into her lair, Bella realized.  
She had little purchase on the falling roof, but she took what momentum she did have and took a running leap, diving as if what lay below her was a calm lake and not a roiling street of stone. For Jane had punched the ground, with impossible force, sending the stones flying in all directions. Some of the human gawkers ran for cover; some didn't have the chance.  
Jane's attention had been distracted for just that crucial microsecond, and Bella took advantage, rolling out of the dive to land just behind her. She grabbed her left leg and pulled as she had before. This time it was not enough force to sever the limb, but it was enough to break it, and bring Jane down onto the uneven ground. From there, Bella crawled across her body, looping her arms around Jane's neck and squeezing hard. She brought her teeth down instinctively, ripping the diamond-hard flesh at the pressure point. She knew that this would be her only chance. As Jane's eyes fluttered closed and a thin hairline crack appeared in her neck, she dropped her shield and screamed to Edward in her mind. Help! I need something for leverage!  
She brought her shield back up immediately, but Jane, even in her weakened state, had managed to get in her mind for just the tiny moment she needed. Suddenly, all the pain Bella had ever felt began to creep up her legs and arms. She had less than one second. Vaguely, behind her, she was aware that Edward had stood and rushed at the giant wooden door, shattering it. She heard the thud next to her. Using one hand, she groped until she found it — the piece with the heavy brass knocker. Excellent. As she pressed one arm against Jane's neck, widening the separation between her head and her body, she felt her own body begin to betray her. Her legs and arms were beginning to shake; she was losing control.  
She brought the piece of door, knocker first, down on Jane's head. Her teeth took one last desperate bite, and she felt the head come, finally, completely, apart from the body. In that moment, the pain was gone. She grabbed the head and ran to where Edward stood over the pile of wood, placing it at the center. Suddenly the blue-suited guards were rushing forward, and Bella tensed again, only to see that some were attending to the body, tearing it into pieces and bringing them to the pyre, whilst another retrieved the arm from the fountain, and yet another found a blazing torch. The torch-bearer offered the flame to Bella, who checked first to make sure that all of Jane now lay upon the pyre. Satisfied, she lit it in three places, and watched for the few minutes it took to consume the marble pieces.  
The humans began to drift away, the excitement over. A few journalists lingered, taking photos and film of the aftermath. Bella and Edward stood, waiting, until the wood and flesh were reduced to ash. Night was beginning to fall. A shy-looking male vampire approached them then.  
"Would you like a token of our appreciation?"  
"Oh, that's very kind, but completely unnecessary," Bella said. Her lack of interest in gifts remained undiminished.  
Edward spoke then. "What did you have in mind?"  
"Well, my brothers and I would like to offer you the key to the city. It's nothing, just a ceremonial gold key with the crest on it."  
"We'll be delighted to accept such a sign of your esteem, sir," Edward said. Bella was distracted, staring off into the distance. She heard, a safe distance away, a journalist speaking into his camera:  
"Vittoria per la cigna nera!"

III.  
15 September 2132  
FLORENCE (Piazza di San Marco)  
07.30  
From her vantage point, Bella could see the "topless David," as he was now called. The replica of Michelangelo's statue had been toppled and relieved of his head and torso in the aftermath of l'attaco di '60. Rather than restore it, the city's new human government had decided to leave it as a monument. The whereabouts of the original statue were still unknown. It was one of her greatest regrets that this was he first visit to the city of Florence. She had longed to visit the galleries, the piazzas, and the Duomo even as a human. Now, at least, she could sip a warm espresso sanguinoso while she people-watched. And while people watched her, as she rapidly began to realize.  
Edward had stayed in bed this morning. He was still exhausted, feeling the after-effects of his torture by Jane. Even though the torture had ceased the moment Jane's head had been removed from her body, the physical effects were lasting. His torment had been extreme; far more extreme, Bella knew, than he was willing to say. And so she had let him sleep. He was getting sick of the "well-wishers," the "grateful, humble humans," and the "fans," already. They had been unable to leave Volterra without a guard of honor and a trail of eager journos, seeking an interview. Bella had finally agreed to an exclusive with the local Florentine rag, if only to put an end to the requests. She sat and waited for the man to show up, half-wondering if he'd be wearing a fedora and carrying a giant flashbulb.  
Her neo-noir fantasy was interrupted by the sound of a newspaper being dropped on the table in front of her. The headline proclaimed:  
LA CIGNA NERA: SALVATORE DEL POPULO?  
It was accompanied, along with a long and entirely fictitious biography of "la Bella Swan", by a photo of her, standing next to the fountain, trying to look grateful and not sarcastic, as she received a ridiculously enormous golden key.  
She groaned audibly, and turned, sensing that the delivery-boy remained behind her. But instead of the paper-boy, or the expected journalist, disgruntled at the erroneous thought that he had been "scooped," she saw, leaning casually against the neighboring table with another paper tucked under his arm and a caffé espresso in one hand, none other than her grandson. He wore an ancient British tourist costume of starched linen and a broad straw hat, and he grinned like the Cheshire Cat to go along with it.  
"How does it feel to be the most famous vampire in the world, Nonna?" he said. He sat in the chair next to her and leaned forward.  
"It's a local paper," she said.  
"Rumors fly…" he leaned back again and sipped his coffee. The smell was sickening.  
"What are you doing here, Reuben?"  
"Just following your career."  
"My career?" Bella looked back at the paper. "Are you saying you were there?"  
"I do blend in so well with the crowd." He smirked. Reuben was not much of a blender, especially not dressed like he was headed to a costume party.  
"I thought we were being watched. But then I assumed that was Jane…"  
"I've been watching you, Nonna. You and grandad too."  
"Are you spying for Carlisle? What do you want?"  
"I want for nothing, Nonna. It just pleases me to see someone finally getting serious about restoring this country, that I do so love, to its former greatness."  
"I just wanted to go on vacation," Bella sighed.  
"Disaster tourism is so gauche, though, isn't it?" Reuben's Cheshire Cat grin somehow grew larger.  
"Please feel free to tell my father-in-law that we took care of his last great enemy for him. If he will even appreciate that!" Bella was getting angry now. She knew, because he had told her, that Carlisle had been devastated by the 2060 strikes in Italy, and even in Siberia and Tibet and the Congo, even though they had wiped out the Volturi and with them the constant threat to their way of life in Cullentopia. But he had always spoken of the attack on Volterra, specifically, with less sadness, and even some pleasure. The inner circle had been vaporized that day, and he had been truly thrilled that they were gone, even if in their place had been a terrible and horribly consequential power vacuum. Carlisle despised her now; but she hoped he would feel a little joy at the end of Jane, and with her, Bella hoped, the end of everything the Volturi had stood for. But Reuben was not interested in giving her that satisfaction.  
"Carlisle is uninterested in your petty games here. The Volturi have long meant nothing to him. Jane was hardly some great foe. He's got more important things to do than worry about your traitorous husband and his evil temptress." Reuben stood up.  
"Are those our names now?"  
"No, that's the nice version, as I'm sure you can guess. Well, I must be off. I do hope you enjoy the rest of your tour through the doom and misery of human destruction."  
"I thought you said you loved Italy," Bella was genuinely dismayed at this dismissal.  
"I love what it once was; I have heard so many wonderful stories from my great-grandfather. It's hard to love something you never knew, but when you do, the love is purer than anything."  
With that bon mot, the infuriating, oozing creature was gone. Bella took the final sip of her espresso and decided to leave before the journo arrived. But her plan was foiled when she saw him approach from the piazza.  
"Miss Swan! Sorry that I'm early," he said, in an American accent. New York Times? She hoped.  
"It's Mrs. Cullen, actually," she slouched back into her seat. Here goes nothing. Might as well attempt to correct the lies and fabrications while she had a chance.  
"My apologies once again. Now, would you please describe for me, in your own words, your fight, the fight that brought the liberation of Volterra from the clutches of its despotic Mayoress…"  
This was going to be a long day… 


	10. 9: Blood of the Innocent

"All things truly wicked start from an innocence."

 **(Hemingway,** _ **A Moveable Feast**_ **)**

18 September 2162

GRAND FORKS

10.30

The mayor's office was grand indeed; it dwarfed all the other official buildings nearby along Columbia Rd in the more prosperous southern end of the city. But the entrance to the city records that was attached to it was much less obvious, and in fact did not even bear a label. Charlie, Edward and Bella only found it due to the description of its location that Jacob had provided. Charlie and Edward went off then to attempt speak to the mayor himself. Bella was happy to be left alone in the archives for a while; secretly she thought she was far more efficient at this kind of work anyway. She even enjoyed it, though she tried not to let on about that either.

It made sense to send the lie detector to do such a sensitive interrogation, but it didn't make Charlie any happier to have to do it. The Mayor had always given him the creeps. Edward insisted that their powers together were an unbeatable combination, and their huge file, proudly labelled "Swan & Cullen: closed cases," proved him right. But something told Charlie that this case would continue to frustrate them for a while. Nothing felt solid; nothing seemed clear.

Mayor Sendall's personal office was just as lush and imposing as the building it was contained in. His secretary was also imposing, her large frame and improbably tall pile of blond hair looming behind her small desk as they entered the waiting area.

"Do you gentlemen have an appointment?"

"Jacob Black said he would get us put on the schedule." Edward began to sit down when the secretary held up her hand and said, "Edward Cullen and Charles Swan?"

 _Charles? Jacob called me Charles?_ Charlie was amused.

"That's us," Edward said. The secretary buzzed her intercom, but did not announce them. "Go on in then," she said. They walked through the massive door, which had opened a crack. The mayor was standing, arms folded across his chest. He did not look happy to see them.

"Mr. Cullen, Mr. Swan. Welcome." He remained standing, and didn't offer his hand to them. "Please do be seated," he went on, gesturing with his eyes to an old, surprisingly ugly sofa. Charlie immediately went to sit, but Edward continued to stand for a moment.

"I believe you met my wife," he said. The mayor looked flustered at that.

"Did I? I meet a lot of people," he continued to stare at the sofa, as if by glaring he would will Edward to sit.

"Yes. She said she ran into you in Jacob Black's office."

"Oh, oh. Yes. That's likely. Is she…"

"Bella Cullen? I'm sure you've heard of her, Mr. Mayor, no need to play coy about it."

Charlie chuckled in his head. The Mayor, on the other hand, appeared to be genuinely struggling to remember his meeting with Bella at the IC. Eventually, he saw the image of Bella offering her hand to the mayor, and felt his sick dread as he shook it. _Silly boy_ , Edward thought.

"Yes, of course. She was making Mr. Black late for his meeting with me, in fact," his laugh was hollow and dry.

"Well, mother-in-law privilege is strong," Edward joked. The mayor's thoughts were panicked. _Black is married to their daughter? But why hasn't he ever told me that? That's seriously bad. What will they say_?

Hmm. "Yes, yes. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit this morning, gentlemen? I do have a great deal of work to do today. As you may know, there's a major IC public meeting tomorrow…" _He's in a total panic, but no lies yet_ , Charlie confirmed Edward's own analysis.

Edward took the lead on the questions, as per the usual S&C routine.

"As Jacob may have mentioned, we've been retained to investigate the Tom McGarry incident. Since the v-police refuse to be involved, and the human force continues to refuse to question vampires…"

"I had heard you were looking into it. I also heard you'd been unable to uncover much. I'm inclined to think it was an isolated incident, a minor feeding accident…"

 _Lie_ , Charlie nodded.

"There's no such thing as a living human feeding accident, Mr. Mayor, as you well know." Edward took a subtle step forward and the mayor recoiled instinctively. _The fear is strong in this one_ …

"I'm afraid I don't know how I can help you," the mayor crossed his arms over his chest again.

"It would be very helpful if you could tell me if you know anything about any connection this might have to the Blood is Life church." Edward had thought of starting with the breeding program accusation, but decided that was a better follow-up.

"Blood is Life? I don't know much about them." _Lie_.

"I don't believe you," Edward heard in the mayor's thoughts. _What have those idiots done now? They can't have been involved, I thought we made sure_ …

"OK, I admit to knowing about them. They are a bit of an embarrassment, really."

"That's not something I'll disagree with you on. You can see why we might think they were involved, surely? McGarry awoke near there, they have an unhealthy obsession with making humans more like vampires, they seem totally unconcerned about getting in trouble with the authorities…"

 _What does he know?_ The mayor's heartbeat began to race. If Bella was here, she would be mentally salivating, Edward thought. Fear and panic were the best condiments, she liked to say. Thinking of this saying of hers made Edward smile a bit, which only made the mayor even worse.

 _Why is he smiling? Oh god, he probably knows everything_ …

"Tell me _something_ , Mr. Mayor, or I'm going to assume you are a part of whatever is going on. As you mentioned, there's an important public meeting tomorrow. I don't think you'd want — "

Suddenly the office phone rang. The Mayor sighed with relief and picked up, only to become a mask of horror once again.

"Yes, he's right here. Here — "

He held the phone out to Edward.

"Hello?" Edward was somehow not surprised that Bella had managed to get a call through to the mayor while they were meeting with him.

"Hi, babe," she said. "Ask the mayor about the records for the establishment of Blife. I am absolutely striking out, I can't find them anywhere. They've got to be hidden for a reason!"

"Sure thing, honey," he said, and hung up. Maybe a change of tack was exactly the trick to get the mayor to slip, verbally or mentally.

"Mr. Mayor," Edward was all smiles now, "My wife is currently doing some research in the city archives. She was wondering if you could point us in the right direction to find the foundation documents for Blood is Life. They aren't, apparently, where they should be."

 _What have they been doing?_ "Well, that's too bad. I'm sure they are all filed properly. They were founded long before my time, of course. I'm pretty sure it was just after…"

 _Not a lie, not the whole truth_ , Charlie thought.

"Yes?" Edward continued his "encouragement" mode.

"It was just after the 2060 attacks. It — well, you should know better than me, I think — it was a difficult time. Total chaos. Grand Forks was no different, not then."

"Why should any humans have wanted to _worship_ vampires after 2060?" Edward was genuinely shocked.

"Well, from what my grandfather told me… he wasn't even born then, but his father was… here in GF, the feeling was that we'd all be killed if we didn't start to convince you — convince the vampires to keep us around…" _Complete truth_ , Charlie confirmed. Edward hardly needed the confirmation, though, as he saw the images in the mayor's head. The stories told about 2060 were legion; the ones running through the mayor's head had the aura of cinema about them, but from what Edward knew, they were horrifyingly accurate.

"I see," Edward nodded. "I wasn't really up on the news back then."

"It makes a twisted kind of sense," the mayor went on, his honesty very obvious at this point, "you know? We'd just found out we weren't top of the food chain any more. And I guess some people thought, well, humans haven't been all that good at being in charge…"

Edward laughed at that. "I appreciate your candor on this, Mr. Mayor. But where should we look for these records? It may have been a chaotic time, but surely something this important would have been filed eventually?"

"I think… I think they might have filed them under 'charitable foundations'." _Not a lie_.

"Charitable, huh?"

"Well…" Suddenly, Edward was assaulted with an image of himself, biting the mayor's neck. What? He looked at Charlie. _What's wrong?_ Charlie thought at him. Why was the mayor imagining Edward biting him? How bizarre humans were.

"We'll certainly have a look there. I hope we find the records, though, or we will have to have another visit." Edward smiled, picked up the phone without asking, and told the secretary to call the archives. Bella received the information and assured Edward she would find the files in no time.

"Is that all, gentlemen?" the mayor was hopeful. And scared again.

"I'm afraid not," Edward said.

"I just wanted to say, before we get into anything else, Mr. Cullen, I didn't have anything to do with the mission your wife just returned from."

What? That was a weird non-sequitur.

"I wouldn't have dreamed you did, sir," Edward said. _Thank God_ , the mayor thought. But now Edward was curious. Charlie thought, _what was that about?_ Why would the mayor feel the need to clarify that right now? Obviously he would have to ask Bella what that was about. Great, she had been _so_ eager to have that conversation so far. Involuntarily, images of Peter and Charlotte's thoughts at her birthday party flashed through his mind. He felt a little sick.

"Anyway," Edward decided it was best not to challenge the mayor about Bella any more for now. "We do have a few more questions. If you don't mind."

He minded. But he swallowed and nodded. "Please, let's get on with it."

"One possibility has occurred to us that it seems the authorities have been unwilling to consider," Edward was back to his hardened PI persona. If the mayor didn't think Blife had anything to do with their case, whatever his reasons for being cagey about them, they needed to find out what else he knew. Bella's story about the mysterious package of blood had sent Edward's mind in one direction only: illegal blood sales. As weird as it was, he saw Mr. TRUTH's little message as more helpful than anything. Maybe someone on the inside knew what was going on and wanted to stop it. It wouldn't be the first time someone trapped in a bad situation had reached out to Swan & Cullen to help them.

"Do you know anything about illegal blood enterprises in Grand Forks?" Edward asked, figuring the blunt approach would be most reliable here.

"We don't have anything to do with that in this town!" _Lie_. _Of course_ , Charlie editorialized.

"That's not true," Edward said. He always hoped that his interogatees wouldn't ask how he could be so certain. They never did. Most caved immediately; the mayor of course could know about _Edward's_ gift, though he had done his best to keep that under wraps as well.

"OK. Yes, we catch someone every now and then. But the illegal blood trade is almost entirely confined to those who sell outside the city limits. We do what we can to stop them taking the blood here, but there's only so much we can do. If a person wants to sell their blood, especially if they are desperate for money, they'll find a way to do it." _No lies, but I don't think he's swearing on a stack of Bibles here_ , Charlie reported.

"Is that the whole _truth_?" Edward asked, trying to emphasize the last word a little.

 _Bingo_.

A panicked vision came through to Edward, in which he saw Bella, with Peter and Charlotte in some kind of bunker; the TRUTH logo — not just on a package, but repeated over and over, covering everything; some men in Volturi-esque capes walking down a long white hallway; a Shadow meeting; a caravan of trucks; a number of images of humans screaming, crying and collapsing to the ground; and even the mayor himself at the edge of a river, bleeding from his neck and wrists. Each image flashed by for just a nanosecond; these weren't memories, Edward realized, they were imaginings, imaginings of a terrified man. The mayor was sure something awful was going to happen, but he didn't have a clear idea of what. But the fact that he seemed to connect his horror-visions to Bella, and to the TRUTH logo on that package, made Edward very concerned.

"Wh- what did you say?" The mayor clearly didn't realize all he had just revealed.

"Are you telling me everything?" The mayor's panic receded at the rephrasing of the question.

"I'm not able to tell you everything about the bloodsellers we've caught — that's privileged information, for the sake of security."

"So, then, you know something, but _won't_ tell us?"

"I didn't say that. Blood is Life is definitely not implicated in any illegal blood selling, though, I can tell you that." _Truth_.

"Just an illegal hybrid breeding program then?"

More panic, but no horrorshow this time. _Deny deny deny_ , the mayor's thoughts chanted.

"I don't know anything about that." _Lie lie lie lie_. But Edward knew that well enough already. It looked like Blood is Life might not be as connected to the McGarry case as they'd thought. Sure, they were doing all sorts of shady things, possibly even with their grandson, but it was in illegal blood sales they should be looking now, that was clear.

The Mayor clapped awkwardly then, and was about to dismiss them, when his burly secretary flung open the door and rushed in.

"Mary, you can't — "

"I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor, but you must come now. There's been a development." The Mayor took one last look at his guests, his eyes wide, and turned to follow his employee.

"See yourselves out, gentlemen?" He called over his shoulder. The door slammed behind him.

"Charlie, we've got to get Bella and get out of here." Edward was still trying to process everything the mayor had given them, and now this…

"What is it? What happened?"

"They've found another body. And it's someone we've met before."

Bella had finally tracked down what passed for the foundation documents for Blife — a paltry two sheets of treepaper, smudged with ink. The church land had been signed over to an organization called Protecting People through Promise of Service, PPPS. Bella thought she remembered hearing cheesy, peppy, optimistic ads on the radio from them, for a year or two after the attacks. They never explained who they were, or why humans should promise service, or even to whom they should do so (perhaps knowing that the Big Reveal would take its time to reach places like Alaska), but they were jingly enough to have stuck with her. But other than this deed, the only other document was a request slip from 2141, asking the city to allow the church to connect its solarium to an underground tunnel. The documents were quickly committed to Bella's memory, though she doubted they would be of much use, when Edward and Charlie burst through the door and told her they had to leave immediately.

"We'll explain on the way!" Edward promised, practically dragging her out of there.

On the way, the three investigators shared all their relevant information with each other. Edward omitted only that he had seen Bella in the mayor's visions; that would need to be a whole different conversation.

The new body was found not very far from where McGarry had found himself. More effort had been made to hide her; she was half-buried under a tree in Bringewatt Park. When they arrived, she was being removed with care from her resting place, and placed on a black tarp.

The three agreed to their usual crime scene routine. Charlie would approach the Veeps, drawing their attention and getting what information he could. Edward would hang back, try to get a vista on the scene, pick up any interesting, especially guilty, thoughts. The old truism about the culprit returning to the scene of the crime was accurate a surprising percentage of the time. Bella would speak to witnesses, especially humans who seemed anxious around the cops. This three-pronged approach almost always meant they avoided arousing the attention the cops as to what they were doing, and sometimes had led them to solve the case immediately. _That_ usually got the cops' attention, and not in a good way. But they got results, and thus relatively little actual trouble from the authorities.

Though Edward had told her who the victim was before they reached the scene, it was still unpleasant to see, and made Bella angry. She wanted to say "I told you so," to Edward, but it wasn't exactly true. On the tarp lay the body of the sixteen-year-old they had rescued from the fake vampires last week. She had wounds in her neck and thigh, just like McGarry, but it looked like the thigh wound, in particular, was arterial. She wore the same white dress she had on when they "met" her, though now it was mostly stained dark red. The blood was not fresh; it had barely any smell at all. A large pattern, like a handprint, stained the bare skin between the girl's collarbones. As Bella made her way to the small group of human girls at the edge of the park, she realized that was why there weren't even any tape barriers set up. No vampire was going to be attracted by this scene.

"Did you know the girl who died?" Bella asked the girls as she approached them. She stopped, out of respect for their human space, twenty feet away. The long-distance no-preamble approach was the most reliable with addled human witnesses, experience had taught her. It was only worth bringing coherent and possibly knowledgeable ones to Edward, anyway.

The girls all nodded. One of them looked at Bella and saw who she was. Her tears stopped, and she broke into a small smile. She whispered to the girl next to her, who was resting her head on her shoulder, and pointed, subtly. Then she gestured at Bella to come over.

"We didn't believe her," said the girl, who was strawberry blond and freckled, tall for her age, which was younger than the dead girl. "She told us she met you, but we told her that she was telling lies. Nobody sees you…" _and lives_? Bella wondered if that was the unfinished sentence. It made her shudder a little.

"I did meet her, last week, very briefly," Bella admitted.

"She said you saved her."

"I guess — not enough," Bella was, she found, genuinely sad at the death of this girl, and the grief of her friends. _That's different_.

"What happened to her? Is it that serial killer?"

"Are you all members of Blood is Life?" Bella decided that giving them direct answers was probably not a good idea.

The girls nodded.

"Why are you dressed like that?"

"It's supposed to make us more… attractive to vampires. It's kind of a uniform. To show we are not afraid."

 _You obviously_ are _afraid, though_. "Why would you want to show that?"

The girls looked at her in surprise. "To show we are willing to be around you — to serve you."

Bella had a feeling this would be the last chance she would have to help these girls. And she felt, suddenly, that that is what she needed to do.

"The absence of fear is not attractive to vampires. The opposite, actually. Fear is much more attractive. But that's probably not the kind of attraction you're looking for."

The girls were suddenly shy, looking down at their feet and clustering even more tightly together.

"Vampires don't want humans to serve them. Especially not willingly. Don't listen to whoever is telling you that we do."

The girls looked very unsettled. But it seemed to Bella they had nothing more to say. She doubted Edward would get much useful from them.

"What are humans for, then? Why do we even exist?" One of the other girls said, dreamily.

"Well, I don't think that it's time for an evolution lesson right now," Bella was getting exasperated.

"Just promise me, girls," she said, "stay away from vampires, or humans who claim to know all about vampires. It might be the only thing to keep you alive. You don't want to end up like your friend, do you?"

The girls all shook their heads, but the overwhelming sense Bella got from them was disappointment. Then, a loud cry went up from closer to where the body was being loaded into a coroner's van. Bella saw Edward and Charlie standing with several Veeps, holding back a crush of people, some of whom were holding cameras, clipboards and microphones. Various questions were shouted at the Veeps as the large and growing group of humans surged forward:

"Is there a serial killer at large in Grand Forks?"

"Is there a cover-up? Is the government killing humans? Is the President involved?"

"Why are the police refusing to comment? Is the Interspecies Council involved in the investigation?"

"Is this a statement of intent by the non-humans of GF that humans are not welcome here?"

"Is the experiment in co-operation over?"

And more. Bella hurried over to assist in crowd control, only to find that Edward and Charlie had retreated to the northern edge of the park. They were shaking their heads.

"I got nothing. Whoever did this is long gone. And the police aren't even going to investigate! They still think this is some human bullshit." Edward was furious.

"The only thing I got from the dead girl's friends is that the breeding program seems to be going on. Not that they realize that," Bella said. _I hope I convinced them to get out_ …

"Put Blood is Life to one side for now," Edward said. "This woman's blood was drained manually. It's easy to see that whoever did it to McGarry did it to this girl, only he got better this time. We've got to start looking at the blood trade. After the IC meeting, that's our next plan. If we have to come down hard, we will. I'm mad now."

"Why bother with the IC?" Charlie's anti-government grousing was always reliable.

"It's our chance to put pressure on Jacob when he can't use our relationship with him to get out of answering questions. Plus, it'll be nice to watch him squirm a bit."

Bella had trouble imagining Jacob in a position of authority, and was eager to attend the meeting for that reason alone. But she more than anything, she wondered how much authority he really wielded. And on whose behalf…

14.00

Pastor Dominic stood, his head down, his eyes closed, as he had always been instructed. The room was bathed in grey light that seemed to bleed in from the walls, and hummed with some technological noise, like a refrigerator that is about to give up. He heard the light tread of the man he had come to meet, and, as he had learned, he did not acknowledge his arrival.

"There is going to be madness, Pastor. There is going to be mass hysteria."

Dominic nodded. The rich tones of the man's voice filled his head, made him feel cloudy and unsure.

"You need to control your flock. Make sure they don't come to the meeting."

"But their beloved friend — "

"Control them! That is what your job is. Why do you think…"

"I'm sorry, sir. I understand that I need to have a better handle on this. If you could tell me something that I could tell them…"

"You humans, always needing explanations and reasons. It's a weakness. Tell them that. Eliminate the human weakness on the path to completion or some similar bullshit."

The hissing s's made his words even more sinister-sounding. Dominic nodded. The man's footsteps told him he was alone again.

Not for the first time, Dominic wondered, or rather knew, that he was in way over his head. But there was no way out now. He wasn't in control of his own life, much less those of his congregation. Just like he had always told them, the only way to survive was to obey.

19 September 2100

CANADIAN WILDERNESS

06.00

"Your daughter misses you," Carlisle said. He stood well away from her, as if afraid even to inhale her scent.

"And we miss her too." She stood still. There was no point in moving.

"Why don't you come home then?"

"We'd love to. But you have your rules. And Ren won't leave Jacob with you."

"You think she'd adapt to your… lifestyle?"

"We wouldn't force her. It's not up to us. She wants to get out into the world, though. Every letter she sends to us, makes that clear."

The wind howled ferociously, carrying the strong scent of a few elk nearby.

"Hungry?" Bella asked Carlisle. "Those elk might give you a good fight." Carlisle looked away from her then, and casually backed into a tree, which cracked under the force.

"You are so cavalier about the taking of life," he started again, "I never thought I'd see you this way, even after you returned to us, after the plague…"

"How's that going? Helping those humans a lot up there in interior Alaska, population twelve?"

Carlisle shook his head. He was angry, but as always, he refused to show it in his voice or body language.

"Rebuilding society is going to take time." Bella laughed.

"Something we can agree on."

"Please come home," Bella was surprised that he was willing to ask, even to beg.

"We've got a few more weeks cleaning up the trash in Vancouver, and then we were planning to make our grand return, again. We'll try to get our eyes back before we do, so it'll depend on if we can even find any animals…"

"I'm not going to bar the door."

"Have you told your wife that?"

Carlisle launched at her then, knocking her to the ground. "How dare you talk about her!" He realized that he had lost control in less than half a second, and recoiled from her, smashing another tree trunk in the process.

"I just don't get it, Carlisle," Bella said, as she dusted herself off and stood up. "Why don't you go to her? You could feed her — you could have her back with you. But you won't do it, and then you freak out when anyone even mentions her name?"

"The vow we made to each other is so difficult to grasp? I know you understand an eternal promise…"

"She couldn't have known… it wasn't intentional… why would she take it so seriously?"

Carlisle shook his head again, unable to explain himself. "It was after what happened in '60, Bella. We knew that the world wasn't going to rule us anymore, so we resolved to rule ourselves. Can't you see that — the value of the symbolic sacrifice?"

"I'd understand better if it hadn't changed the way you deal with the rest of the family. You've turned everyone into fanatics!"

"No! Everyone has the right to make their own choices, I've never denied that."

"Unless they have a heartbeat, and then you get to decide for them."

Carlisle had no response to that. Instead, he turned to leave.

"The door will be open." And he was gone.

Charlie and Edward would be less than pleased that she had met with Carlisle without one or the other of them, but she was tired of relying on their gifts. Sometimes all that was necessary to handle a situation was strength.

She was nothing if not strong, mentally and physically. So why did every conversation with him make her feel so weak?


	11. 10: The Red Right Hand

"What if the breath that kindl'd those grim fires

Awak'd should blow them into sevenfold rage

And plunge us in the flames? or from above

Should intermitted vengeance arm again

His red right hand to plague us?"  
(Milton, _Paradise Lost_ )

~*~

19 September 2162

19.00

The IC meeting was to be held in the town hall, the only building in GF big enough to fit all the people who were required to be there, much less the peanut gallery. GF wasn't big on public spaces where large crowds could congregate; the town hall had been erected on the site of the former shopping mall, and spanned four or so city blocks along Rte. 81. It was also the only suitable building for such a meeting; it had both a general entrance and entrances for those who wished to be guarded and secured only by their own species. The general entrance was in the front, the humans in the back, the vampire took the West side and the much-smaller entrance for the were-wolves was on the East side.

By 18.00 the main hall was filled to over-capacity. Humans made up the overwhelming majority of the crowd, and the spillover crowded on the front steps, blocking the general entrance completely. A large telescreen had been wheeled out onto the steps, to broadcast the meeting live. The police, human and vamp, were there in force, but even the Veeps were visibly nervous. The last time GF had seen such unrest, it was not just humans who had been killed in the riot. Charlie had seen it; he'd even been chased by an angry mob in his first year on the force.

Thanks to that experience, as well as his general attitude, Charlie was at home; he said there was a fishing program on the local TV he wanted to watch. He promised to follow the meeting online, though Bella had her doubts he would even bother to turn on his computer. The last time she had been to his house, the monitor had been covered in a fine layer of dust, and the case was covered in cans. Bella and Edward had wanted to arrive at the meeting early, but discovered that everyone else had had the same idea. They were relegated to seats in the first row of the vampire balcony. Most of the vampires who were seated near them seemed tense, but Edward primarily picked up on curiosity, and not guilt, amongst that population. Most of the vampires were pretty seasoned, and much calmed than the security forces outside. Edward would have preferred to be closer to the dais, where the VIPs of vampire society and government were seated. From where they sat, only the most fervent of thoughts would rise above the din to reach him.

"McGarry's here," Edward indicated a slender, stooped man in the front row of the human section. "I can't really hear him, but a lot of people are thinking about him. He's going to be the first human given the floor…" McGarry seemed uncomfortable, Bella thought, constantly shifting in the folding chair, his chin sinking into his chest. But at least he looked like he was mostly recovered from his ordeal. His skin was still a little sallow, but there was a pinkness to his cheeks.

Finally, the IC members themselves arrived and took their places on the dais. Jacob towered over the Mayor, and the Spanish female vampire who Edward reported was the head of the Shadow for the moment as they came in together. Also present were the heads of the human and V-police, a man whose attire indicated he was a medical doctor ("He's the head of the B-Clinic association," Edward figured out) and another small, thin man who was clearly a werewolf. However, he refused to even make eye contact with Jacob. Too bad, Bella thought at Edward, I kind of wish Jacob had another dog to play with.

Edward had grown bored over the past two years with Jacob's complaints about the scraggly werewolves that he was supposed to associate with in GF; his laments about his fallen brothers had gotten out of hand, but Edward had tried very hard to convey sympathy. Some days, Jacob had gone so far as to claim he wished he had died with them; it was only when Seth had visited a few months ago that he had ceased to be so melancholy. Whoever this other werewolf was, no one's thoughts seemed clear, but it was notable that he refused to shake anyone's hand and stood far off from the group, as if he was going to bolt for the door at any second. He went out for a moment, and returned, dragging a large wheeled platform with a telescreen on it.

Jacob cleared his throat and sat down at the center of the long table, adjusting the microphone. This signaled for the rest of the council to sit as well, and gradually silence fell over the cavernous room.

"The quarterly public meeting of the Grand Forks Interspecies Council is hereby called to order," announced the mayor, from his position to the right of Jacob. He had to lean over into Jacob's mic, which produced a terrible feedback screech.

Jacob nodded, almost to himself, and spoke into the mic with a practiced, even tone that surprised Bella.

"There was a long list of issues on the agenda for tonight's meeting. However, due to recent troubling events, most of the agenda items scheduled will be addressed at an additional meeting next week. The Council has decided to use today's meeting as a public forum, answering questions from all interested and providing information as is possible. First, though, I would like to say a few words as Interspecies Council president."

 _He's pretty good at this politician thing_ , Bella thought. Edward nodded, and said in an undertone, "He's pretty popular, from what I'm hearing. Even some of the vamps seem to think he's looking out for everyone's best interests."

 _Do they know about him and Ren?_

"Some do. Surprisingly, no one seems to be offended by it."

Jacob's introductory speech continued, mostly an encouragement for everyone to remain calm and to work together. "In conclusion, I'd like to offer the floor first to Tom McGarry, who has been personally and deeply effected by these recent events. After he speaks, we here on the council will take questions."

Tom McGarry stood and walked slowly to the standing microphone in front of the council's table. He looked still very weak and tired, but he smiled and cleared his throat.

"Hi folks. My name is Tom McGarry, and I almost died last week. I still don't know anything about what happened to me, because my memory was also taken from me, and I don't have it back yet. I want to know if we have a serial killer in Grand Forks, and if he's a human or not. And I want to know why we're having to rely on the tabloids to give us any information! But I'm also appealing to you today in part to seek information about me."

This was greeted with a lot of rumbling, but no one apparently had much coherent or useful to say to that.

Edward heard so many thoughts at once, he struggled to separate them, and it was impossible to designate whence they came, except for those he was familiar with.

Jacob thought, _God, I hope the Veeps can keep this under control. This feels like too little too late. I was trying to tell them… Shit! Edward and Bells are here_. Edward felt himself smirk at the following scrambling attempt to control his thoughts, though it was temporarily successful.

The mayor's mind was saturated with horrible images of vampires killing humans in the streets, dozens flashing by for a microsecond each. Again, he saw Bella through the mayor's mind; she was fighting five vampires at once on a dusty road. Why does the mayor keep thinking about that Louisiana mission? I've got to ask Peter and Charlotte what happened, because Bella's not going to tell me… Edward resolved. It's got something to do with this case, I'm sure of it, even if Bella doesn't think so…

Edward guessed it was the B-Clinic leader who thought, _why do I even bother if this is how these creatures would rather deal with us?_

Many minds swirled around in Edward's own, rising in intensity:

That poor man. Lucky he didn't die like that girl though.  
Why would anyone want his blood? He looks very un-tasty.  
Tom McGarry? That's not like him. What a crock. Why's he pretending?  
Amnesia is such bullshit. Who's he really working for?  
Is that the Black Swan and whats-his-face? I didn't know they lived here. I thought she was some secret government agent now…  
Why not go to the police? Why is this a public matter? Surely we shouldn't be investigating every little human problem.  
I hate meetings. Why do I ever come to these things?

Someone called out, "Get on with this farce!"

The thoughts continued their rapid roil:

McGarry looks like he's a vampire now. Is that possible? I don't think that's possible.  
I'm so scared! Why did I ever move here?  
These vamps should know how we really feel. We can take them if we work together.  
I can't believe how much I hate them. I hate them! Hate them! Why aren't they scared? They should be just as scared as we are.  
Ready, steady…

A vivid image of a grenade being thrown up into their gallery assaulted Edward then, with such clarity that McGarry's continued appeal for information was drowned out. He saw the grenade explode, causing the gallery to fall on the vampires seated below, and catch on fire, consuming several vampires who had been torn apart in the explosion. It was a serious grenade, only military level hardware could be that effective. The brutal scene replayed itself a second time, and Edward realized that the owner of this thought was trying to figure out the best angle. Time was of the essence. Without another thought, he grabbed Bella's hand and puller her with him, leaping onto the railing of the gallery. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jacob start, his eyes narrowing. Bella looked to him for an explanation, but instead he scanned the floor below, looking for anyone who was walking around, wearing something that could conceal such a weapon.

"There!" He whispered, pointing out a young human man in a unseasonally heavy jacket who was pacing up and down on the fringe of the standing-room-only east wall.. He waved at Jacob and tried to get him to alert the police near there, but before Jacob understood, the man seemed to noticed he'd been spotted. Meanwhile, the vampires behind Edward realized something was up. A voice in his head spoke at the same time as a hand reached out and touched his leg. A small, older-looking female vampire was looking at him imploringly.

 _If you can tell me what's going on, I can send it out it for you._

Edward nodded. The woman gripped his leg tightly.

 _Everyone on the balcony needs to get out of here. And the folks below us might want to move out from underneath as well. That human has a grenade_. He pictured the man in his mind.

He then jumped in the direction of the impending culprit, Bella following him smoothly. He saw he look at him in surprise as he heard his own voice in his head, repeating his instructions.

The man had had very little time to react, but enough to take the pin out of the grenade before a Veep saw him. The Veep was on him, knocking him to the floor, until he saw the exposed grenade, held in the man's hand. It was huge — definitely military grade — and the Veep raised his arm and smashed the man's hand, pulverizing it with the grenade still clenched inside.

The humans nearby had not had time to process what had happened, and began screaming, crashing into and even trampling each other in the rush to the doors. The vampire police and security guard were not able or willing to contain the humans. Instead they surged in formation towards the attacker. Jacob had run forward, aiming to meet Edward and Bella, but when he realized the chaos and panic that were developing, he turned back. They were feet away from the man, who now lay in a bloody mess, screaming abuse at the vampires for various conspiracies against the humans, as a human doctor attempted to attend to the wound in such a way as to cause as little blood as possible.

But there was blood. Edward saw that his instructions to vacate the balcony had been obeyed completely, but the other instruction had unwittingly brought a large number of vampires closer to the scene of the action, and thus very close to the smell of the man's blood. The level of restraint was high for now, but if there was anymore active bleeding...

"Doctor, run!" Edward called, his hand on the man's shoulder enough to convince him that he was in a dangerous position.

Jacob shouted into the mic, desperate to control the fleeing humans:

"Please remain calm and move toward the exits without endangering yourself or others. All humans please exit first, forming a line…"

His words were unheard over the screaming and crying, and the angry shouting of vampires, mostly directed at their own police for failing to spot the weapon.

Then, Edward saw it again. A man, dressed similarly to the rapidly-expiring assailant nearby, was looking at an identical grenade in his own hand, and thinking, now! Before the vamps have a chance to leave!

"There's another attacker!" Edward shouted, not sure who would hear aside from Bella. "He looks like this one," he said to her, and she immediately jumped back up to the gallery to get a better view. The crowd, in its panic, had distributed the humans all over the room, but there weren't too many grey jackets. Jacob and the rest of the council remained on the platform, being restrained and/or protected by Veeps.

Edward shouted again, trying to get the attention of the Veeps who weren't involved with carefully disposing of the shattered grenade, and soon, the attacker himself.

"Watch out! There's another!" A few vampires appeared to have heard him this time, and fanned out to seek him in the crowd. More thoughts assaulted Edward.

Some made him stop in his tracks.

Filthy animals! And the Cullens wonder why we don't care…  
Oh god they're going to eat us all…doomed…  
Why are they doing this now? We've not got the strength!  
I've got too much to answer for. I won't survive.  
The time is coming, and it is now!  
It is good, what we've done. Surely all will see that now. If the Cullens can't poison everyone against us…we will rise up. It's inevitable now.

Why were vampires wasting time thinking about what 'the Cullens' were up to? (And did they mean the two of them? It was still difficult for Edward to see him and Bella as "the Cullens"), Was this attack linked to the attack on Bella's birthday? The more he thought about it, the more he was disturbed. But he was unable to consider the situation for too long, as Bella's projected thought pierced his thoughts: I _see him, he's hiding by the edge of the platform! Jacob is closest!_

Edward moved rapidly, at the same time as he called out the position to Jacob. But Jacob did not move. Instead, he stared at the mayor and began to shake violently. Several guards grabbed the mayor from both sides and rushed him from the room. They tried to take the director of the B-Clinics with them, but he refused, rushing forward, toward the man, talking to him, trying to reach him. Jacob saw the director, and was able to move away from him, but he continued to shake, throwing off insane heat as he fought the transformation.

"Jacob! No!" Bella called, still perched on the gallery railing. But Jacob was past the point of reason now. His heat was visible to vampire eyes. The attacker, he's pulled the pin, Bella was nearly crying in her thoughts. Edward ran forward, vaguely aware that the Veeps were hustling the humans from the council off the platform and directly into the path of the new attacker. When he saw the humans herding his way, it caused the man to panic and run forward, almost into Edward's arms.

Still in a panic, he called out, "I'm right below you! Take the humans in the other direction!" The guards and their humans quickly beat a retreat to the back exit.

This would-be assassin was bigger and more threatening in appearance than the first man, and he seemed sharper as well. When he saw Edward reaching for his arm, he stepped back and drew drew his arm behind him, but not fast enough. Edward's practiced restraint was absent this time, and he simply reached around his shoulder and tore the man's arm off without a second thought. The man went to the ground with a terrible howl, and the vampires still present, about a dozen, almost as one growled and rushed forward. Several unfortunate humans who had lingered in the hall were thus subject to the vampire's uncontrolled bloodlust, unleashed with every pulse of arterial blood. It was too fast for the Veeps, for Bella, for Jacob, to stop anything. None of the humans even had a chance to cry out, though one journalist's camera shuttered wildly as his throat was savagely shredded. In the midst of all this, Edward had thrown the attacker's arm into the air, its hand still in a vice grip around the partially-crushed grenade. The weapon, removed from the fray, exploded loudly but without any casualties, 20 feet up. Blood splattered everywhere, raining in droplets on all below.

Edward fell to the ground, feeling the familiar pull in his dry throat. He looked around, desperately seeking something to hold him back from the tide of rushing heartbeats and sweet, sweet nectar that clustered around the doors. He had calculated, before he even knew what he was doing, that he could be on the nearest human throat within a half-second, and had almost begun his approach when simultaneously, the sickening smell of dog and the embrace of his wife pulled him back from the brink.

"Edward! Edward! Don't!" Bella pleaded. He looked at her. How was she not affected by this? She was always so much less concerned about this feeling, she had given him so many lectures about how his constant resistance to his natural impulses was unhealthy, she had insisted that he not allow himself to feel guilty for the monster he was. And here she stood, preventing his collapse with the force of her arms, completely unaffected by the smell of running blood everywhere around her. Her eyes were fixed on the now-dead second attacker, and she studiously gazed away from the carnage behind her; his carnage, as Edward could only think of it.

 _It's not your fault_ , she whispered to him in her head, _you did what you needed to do_. Blame _these immature brethren of ours, not yourself. You are protecting people, you are saving humans and vampires too. You are a good man, you are a good man_ , she chanted at him until his eyes closed and he sunk to the floor, the form if not the substance of weeping.

The drama that was playing out in Edward's soul, however, went unnoticed to everyone in the hall other than Bella. The attempts of the Veeps to contain the vampiric rampage continued. The blood-crazed vamps surged again, and the B-Clinic director came out from under the table, took a running leap, and dived into the middle of the attack. He was fallen upon almost immediately by two or three vampires, and drained in seconds. Bella saw it happen out of the corner of her eye, sparing herself only the thought, if he's just going to volunteer I don't know why they even bothered to try to protect him…

The rampage had now destroyed ten humans and was threatening more — until, at last, a blockade of the doors trapped the wilding vampires in the room, as the blood of the attacker trickled to a stop. The stilling of the running blood meant a slow settling of calm over the vampires, but those who realized what had happened remained in a heightened state — for now, they knew, it was their own lives at stake. Some of the vampires willingly submitted themselves to the Veeps, but others leapt away, fleeing up, up to the rafters, with beleaguered and unhappy-looking police following in their wake.

Bella continued to hold Edward in her arms, but she was most concerned at this moment by Jacob, who remained on the dais, shaking and sweating, his chest pounding and his veins throbbing. "Get away from Jacob!" she finally called to the Veeps who still stood by him. But they seemed to be rooted to the spot.

Coming back to the surface, Edward heard the final thought of Jacob in his human form, they'll never forgive me, before he almost physically felt the transformation rip through him.

He grew in all directions, causing gasps from the vampires who had never witnessed this kind of change before, but the moment of transformation itself was too fast even for vampire eyesight. Where Jacob had stood, there was now a giant, snarling, red-brown wolf. The wolf ran straight ahead, knocking over several vamps on the way. He headed toward the wolf entrance to the room, but when the time came simply ran through the door, which shattered into many tiny pieces with the force of his bulk, and was gone. The vampires he had toppled in his departure moaned, and several cradled obviously broken shoulders and arms.

Silence reigned. The surrendered or captured vampires were shackled and hobbled, their faces downcast. They were encircled by Veeps, who stood ready to prevent any escape. Bella cradled Edward on the floor in front of the dais, and every now and then gently rubbed his scalp. The door broken by Jacob let in a breeze from outside, carrying on it the smell of fear as it dissipated amongst the crowds of humans who had been cowering in the corridors. A few slightly-injured humans moaned softly as they were attended to by the emergency services which had arrived in record time.

A loud hissing noise broke through the small sounds of recovery and shock. The telescreen, which had remained off to the side of the platform, unremarked, throughout the whole eruption, suddenly showed static and scrolling bars of color, vertically passing across the screen. Also having gone unnoticed throughout the struggle that had just occurred, the scraggly werewolf glided out from where he had been hiding, under the platform, and made several adjustments to the back of the screen. The image stabilized, and the quiet onlookers shuffled forward when they recognized it, from pictures or from long-ago TV and film images, as the President's "Oval" Office.

A few seconds later, the President himself walked onscreen, his closed-cropped hair failing to hide the sweat on his brow, his smooth blue suit showing wrinkles at the cuffs when he wiped his face. He blinked into the camera and looked offscreen, and then turned back, facing them as if he was in the room.

"Citizens of all species, I had planned to make this broadcast under much happier circumstances," he intoned, his eyes drifting again before they snapped back to the eye of the camera.

"This is the first broadcast of our new national television network, coming to you straight from the White House. I had hoped to use this occasion to announce our new full schedule of news and informational programs, available finally after a far too long delay to all regions of this great nation. But instead, I must use it to entreat all citizens in the Grand Forks region to remain calm, and to pledge to work together to overcome the difficulties of today's events."

There the president paused, another look of concern appearing on his features.

Bella looked down at her husband, still curled in a posture of defeat and anguish. She squeezed his shoulder tenderly. Slowly, painfully slowly, he looked up into her eyes, and then at the screen, and then again back to her. The mayor must have called him directly, Bella suggested.

They heard him begin again, his voice softer as he stumbled slightly over his words.

"There is only hope if we choose to stand beside each other…"

~*~

"There is only hope if we choose to stand beside each other… I ask each and every one of you — human, vampire, werewolf, any creature who is proud to be a citizen of one of our beacons unto the world, of our noble co-operative in Grand Forks, I ask you all to return to your homes, or report to the location requested by your local law enforcement officers, and to remain there. Calm will return to us. I have faith in the great people of this city. Until further notice, there is a Federal curfew in place. All citizens must be in their place of work or dwelling after 20.00, unless provided with special permission. When this curfew is listed, you will receive notification by radio and this new network. Please stay tuned for more information. Thank you, and may we all re-commit to the continued growth of our nation, a growth that we can only foster together."

Click. Fuzz. Static returned, and then the images of the great fishing boat in Lake Superior came back, but the sound was muted. The interruption of his favorite fishing show had been shocking enough, but the words spoken by the President made Charlie have only one thought. What had happened to Bella — and to Edward, and Jacob? Were they safe?

He turned on his radio, figuring that it would be impossible to connect to the net now; no doubt all the phone lines were down or overloaded. The report of the riot at the IC meeting washed over him; he wasn't really listening, only needing to hear, or not to hear the names of his loved ones.

"Numerous and shocking violations of city ordinances came one after the other… the Interspecies Council president himself, Jacob Black, was seen to shift his form during the confrontation and has escaped, offering no clues to his current whereabouts. His unpermitted shifting injured several city workers and caused several thousand dollars of damage to the building…"

Jacob had fled from the meeting and was missing? That was the second time that Jacob had shifted (and this time illegally during a public event); and the second time he had run from a fight between humans and vampires, rather than stood his ground like the man Charlie thought he knew.

"The total number of humans killed in the confrontation now stands at fifteen… one human was saved only via change, but authorities suggest no one will face charges due to the extremity of the event…"

As far as Charlie knew, no more than three humans (at once, anyway) had been killed by vampires since the co-op had begun. There was little chance that the humans of GF would sit back and allow five times that number to die without consequences.

"Ten vampires have willingly surrendered to judgment, all saying they were new to the vampire life and should not have been in public with their blood-tolerance levels as low as they were. Degree of punishment is as yet undecided, but leniency is not expected, gien the precedent of other trials before the Shadow government. The mayor issued a statement from an undisclosed, safe location…"

The door banged open and Charlie leapt up, feeling fear for the first time in a long while. But his new feeling was short-lived when he saw it was Bella, with Edward behind her. He ran to her and embraced her in what he normally called his "embarrassing-Dad" hug.

"Bells, I'm so glad you're OK. I want to know what happened, but…"

"Not now, Dad. Edward…" Charlie saw why she had stopped. Edward had walked to the sofa next to the TV chair and laid down. His eyes were closed and he was motionless, of course.

"Edward is not really 'home' right now. We need to drink, it was quite an ordeal…"

"You didn't take any — "

Bella raised her eyebrow. "Really, Dad? What, do we look like newborns to you?" Charlie shook his head and got some cans from his cooler, handing one to Bella. Edward sat up with a start and wrenched the can from Charlie's grasp, tore into it with his teeth and sucked it down, and then he threw the can to the floor so hard it flattened. Bella handed him her can and went to get another for herself. She turned away so as not to see the same happen with the second can. Then, Edward simply ran to the cooler and pulled out a six-pack, destroying each can without even removing them from the holder. Finally, he stopped, his mouth smeared with A+, and went back to the sofa, where he returned to his faux-sleeping posture, apparently not noticing or caring that he dripped blood onto the fabric.

Bella took a few small sips of her can, and gestured to Charlie to move out onto his deck. The deck backed onto the park, perched over a bend in the river, which gurgled pleasantly as it rushed by, always kept fed and full by the rains; Charlie would often spend an early-morning hour or two standing there, remembering the feeling of his treasured fishing trips. He even kept a fishing pole out there, though he never used it.

Bella slid the door to the deck closed. Her father was very upset, she could see that. But Edward couldn't be helped right now, even if she had known what to do. Time was the only thing that worked when he floated away like this.

"Edward is blaming himself," Bella tried to explain, as she allowed herself to feel pleasure in the cool breeze and the calm sounds around them. "He went after the human assassin… it was pretty spectacular, really. But some idiot-children who had no business being in a mixed environment couldn't handle the blood; it went everywhere; and now Edward thinks he personally killed those people. Instead of saving the dozens he saved from the two grenades…"

Charlie had vaguely heard something about two grenade attacks being foiled.

"You guys stopped the attacks? Human attacks?"

"Yes. But this time no one's giving us a damned key to the city."

"It seems like there's no way Edward will be blamed."

"He won't. He was clearly working to stop it. The Veeps told us were were, and I quote, 'more than free to go' and said thank you. I wanted to spit at them. They let in two humans with high-powered vampire-busting grenades! How did they miss that?"

Charlie thought for a moment. "There's no way that happened by accident. This was ordered by someone high up. And now the President is involved? I'm getting a really sick feeling…"

Bella nodded. At least it could be said that the riot itself was a great example of inter-species co-operation, of the kind all species seemed best able to create: violence. Humans tried to kill a huge number of innocent vampires, succeeding indirectly in killing a few, at least; vampires killed innocent humans as an indirect result of the attacks; and the one werewolf, one of the last of his kind, the only one that anyone here knew and trusted, showed that he was no better a representative for his kind than anyone else involved, as he took down vamps, humans, and innocent walls on his coward's way out.

Bella sat down on the edge and traced her fingers along the veins in the wooden deck. She was struck by how much they looked, and felt, like human blood vessels. And from there she felt it again, the rain of blood from the guilty hand. It had made her think of the plagues of Egypt, as it came down on the heads of guilty and innocent alike.

 _The life of the flesh is in the blood_ … she mused. _Whatsoever soul that eateth blood shall be cut off from his people… without the shedding of blood is no remission…Blood will be everywhere, even in vessels of wood and stone…_

Edward's eyes were piercing her, in her mind, his body wracked with the impossibility of tears as he gazed at her. He couldn't form the words he seemed desperate to say. Why are you not struggling? He almost begged her to feel what he was feeling. She could read it clear as day. Why don't you feel this shameful, lustful eagerness to destroy? The implicit accusation, the confusion in his face, was nearly too much for her to bear. You don't feel the agony that I do every day over our choices, how can you not feel it here and now, this compulsion, this literal rain of blood, the consuming urge to take innocent life? Why are you free from all the guilt?

The truth was, Bella had felt it, just like every other vampire there, no matter how old and controlled they were, no matter how committed to the rules of Grand Forks coexistence. But from her very first day as a vampire, the overpowering feeling of the bloodlust that she had been warned about had never overtaken her. How could she feel disgust over it, when she didn't, hadn't experienced it? In all of Bella's vampiric existence, she had never taken a life because of instinct. Her choices to kill, and to drink, were all the result of her mind, of her own human, or super-human, mental processes.

Did that make her better than other vampires, or much, much worse?

Bella had never found an answer to that question. But now, she feared, Edward had. And she was terrified, more than she could ever remember being, that with his answer found, he would return, utterly changed in his heart.

~*~

06.00

It was a long night, the sounds of military vehicles on land and in the air the only noise in Charlie's house. Edward had laid unmoving on the sofa. Charlie had walked upstairs to his 'workroom' and began to measure wood for his newest boat, decided that his daughter needed to be alone and his son-in-law was not even really there. And Bella had sat still, looking out at the trees and water, and willing herself to go to him, to take him in her arms, and tell him to come back to her, to be with her and to know her in the fullness of her confessions. But she found herself Edward's equal in unwillingness to move, as the light came higher in the sky, spreading a pink glow through the daily clouds. Today's cloud cover was sparser than usual, and Bella couldn't help but wonder if the Weather Service had given most of their employees a day off to grieve, or to recover from injury or emotional trauma, or to prepare to bug the hell out, for that matter.

Nothing, it seemed, would break the spell, end the stillness. It was the one thing that neither of the two, in their separate anguish, had spared a moment's thought for, that shook them, and brought them back to the present, and to reality and its needs and responsibilities.

The phone rang, its harsh bell jolting Edward and reaching Bella. At first, neither of them went to pick it up. It rang a second time, and Bella came back inside the house; Edward sat up. A third time, and they found themselves standing over it, each hesitating, thinking they should let the other answer.

At the fourth ring, Charlie called from upstairs, "One of you goofballs going to pick that up?"

Edward lifted the receiver and pressed the answer button. After a few crackles, the shining voice of Renesmee called out.

"Finally! I've been calling all night! Error messages every time. I heard you guys prevented a riot, good job!"

Bella and Edward looked at each other for a moment, saying nothing.

"Guys?" Ren's voice grew softer.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Edward whispered in her ear. "I know I shouldn't do this to you. I'm here now, I'm not going to do that again."

"Mom? Dad? Charlie? Are you there?"

"We're here, honey," Bella spoke. She projected, I'm sorry too, Edward. I love you.

"I love you," Edward whispered again. "Please don't doubt me again." Bella nodded. But though she relaxed slightly, she knew there she was still avoiding a difficult conversation. For one thing, she needed to explain herself, and get Edward's help to deal with everything; even to figure out what she thought she knew. But for now, they needed to reassure their daughter, and she felt angry at herself for another moment at their inability to do so.

"We're sorry, Ren, we've had a tough day, but we're here now. If it were possible to be exhausted, we would be. What's happening with your trip? Where are you?"

"I think this was Kansas?" Ren seemed to be asking someone with her. "Yes, Jesse here says this is Kansas territory."

"Wow! You've made good progress," Bella calculated. It had taken her over twice as long to make it the same distance. Of course, she'd been travelling without guards, and mostly on foot, even if it was vampire-foot.

"Yeah, it's mostly been fine. Only three attacks."

"Only three!" Edward practically screamed. Bella smiled a little at Edward's outburst. It had been a long time since she'd heard his "dad voice," and she hadn't realized how much she's missed it. She heard Charlie chuckling from upstairs and knew he was recognizing the same thing.

"Dad! The guards took care of it. I never even set foot outside the van when the vamps came."

"Anyway, folks, the reason I'm calling is that the guards think we'll be in GF late tomorrow. Have you got my guest pass ready? I know you've been busy, what with preventing full-scale civil war and all — "

Only our daughter could be lovingly sarcastic about armed conflict, Bella mused. I guess she's had a lot of practice.

Charlie called, "I got it taken care of, Ness!"

"Did you hear that?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, tell Grandpa thanks for me."

"We will," Bella promised.

After they disconnected, they stood still, facing the phone, allowing themselves to feel the positive feelings that washed over them, replacing the gloom almost entirely. When they looked at each other, they were both surprised at the large smiles that graced each other's face. Edward took Bella's face in his hands, and brought his lips to hers, slowly, carefully, like he had done so many times when they were first courting.

Ren never knew the real power she had. No one else could do what she did.

She made Bella and Edward feel human. And she made them love it.

~*~

13 September 2050

12.00

"Happy Birthday, Bells!" Charlie waved his hands in an elaborate gesture, and pulled off the brown paper from the frosted glass door to their new office. In gold block lettering, someone had carefully painted

SWAN AND CULLEN  
PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS

Bella couldn't help but smile. Edward would love it, too, she knew. He was even more tired of chasing down biker gangs and having to move all the time than she was. Now they had a reason to stay here, and a chance to broaden the definition of helping people to something a little more normal.

"You know better than to wish for me to have a happy birthday, Dad!" She said.

"C'mon, what do you think?"

"I think it looks great. But how are we going to get any clients? I don't think people even know what a private eye is, anymore."

"I've taken out a few advertisements, here and there. And I told some buddies on the force, if there's something they can't deal with, or its too small potatoes, to send it our way." He turned the knob and proudly flung open the door. Inside, the office was covered in a heavy layer of dust, but otherwise looked like it could have been lifted right out of one of Charlie's favorite Bogart films.

"We're really going to do this." Bella wasn't sure if it was a question or a statement.

"We really are." Charlie was certain, at least. "At least, if you still want to… I know you don't want to go too high-profile."

"I don't think you'll get too many vamp-fans out here. And it's not like my face is on the ads — is it?"

Charlie laughed and shook his head.

"I hope we don't just have to find lost cats."

"Somehow, I doubt that will be the only problem in this city. Humans have a way of attracting trouble to themselves, or so I've gathered…"

"We really appreciate you taking us in, Dad. I hope you know that. We were going a bit crazy on the road all the time."

"Of course, honey. I don't know why you'd ever doubt…"

"Oh no?" Bella's smile was a little twisted.

"I'm not him, Bells, you know that." The look in his eyes was plaintive. Please never think of me like you think of him, he seemed to be saying.

"I know, Dad."

They stood in silence, admiring the scene before them. "Heck, maybe it'll even be fun." Charlie jumped into the big leather chair and propped his feet on the desk.

"Could be." 


	12. 11: Suffer the little children

"Between the conception

And the creation

Between the emotion

And the response

Falls the shadow"

 **(Eliot,** _ **The Hollow Men**_ **)**

21 September 2035

CULLEN MANSION, ALASKA

11.00

"Where is the werewolf and how many bones of his can I break without killing him?" Renesmee asked her mother with disarming earnestness. She winced again, and Bella looked at her stopwatch.

"Getting closer now," she said.

"Ugh, this really hurts," Ren said. She looked at Bella, who was smiling almost wistfully, and had to laugh.

"I'm amazed you haven't smacked me with all the complaining I've been doing, considering…"

Bella's expression changed at that. The last thing she wanted Ren to be thinking about right now were the circumstances of her own birth.

"Ren, please don't say things like that!"

"I'm just joking, Mom."

"I know, kiddo. But promise me you won't talk like that around your father."

Ren nodded. And then winced and groaned again. At that the door to the birthing room banged open, admitting one werewolf, smiling cheesily and carrying a warm white cup of something red… yes, definitely human, Bella sniffed, and licked her lips.

"Gross, Bells," Jacob said as he handed the styrofoam cup to his wife. She took it in both hands and drank greedily. Bella couldn't really remember her pregnancy that well, but maybe it was in sympathy with Ren that she was finding that blood pretty appealing right now.

"See, this is just weird," Ren said, gulping it down. "Jake was telling me about his little trick when you were… that he discovered, and it really does work! I don't really want anything else. Even the rare steak smells funny right now."

"Well, it's a little different for you, Nessie, sweetheart," Jacob brushed her matted hair away from her face and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. "We already knew that it would be helpful…"

He glanced nervously at Bella, who was looking out the snow-ringed window.

"Carlisle and Edward are back from the airport," Bella reported. Ren smiled. Jacob frowned slightly. He leaned over and whispered to Bella.

"Did Rose explain why…" Bella shook her head, and then said, "She just said she couldn't do it again."

"So selfish!" Jacob was irritated, not really angry, but Bella placed her hand on his forearm and squeezed, a mixture of comfort and warning.

"How's the patient?" Carlisle walked right in and began gathering his instruments for the hourly tests.

"I'm doing fine, Gramps," Ren said, before wincing again and cracking the headboard as she clutched it.

"I see," Carlisle said. He bent over to listen to the heartbeats and nodded, and began to prepare the thermometer. "Any chance on getting your daughter to stop calling me Gramps, Edward?"

Edward was leaning on the doorframe; he had some snow in his hair and looked devilishly handsome, Bella thought. Any time he was able to get his hair to stay down was an occasion to be savored, and so she did, gazing at him for a long moment. He came to her and kissed her on the top of her head, then, and Jacob looked at them with that ambiguous semi-glare that he now deployed only rarely. Carlisle bustled around, oblivious to the minor tensions.

Ren looked at her husband and then her parents and felt the silent conversation between them. She rolled her eyes.

"Enough with the staring, people, really!" she laughed, and suddenly everyone was laughing with her, calmer than even Jasper could make them. She reached out for Jacob and touched his face. He closed his eyes blissfully as she relayed the last few hours to him. His hunting trip had been almost as necessary as a vampire's would be, but he still regretted every moment he had to be away from her. She looked meaningfully at him.

"Sure, sure," he said, and took one of her small hands in both of his enormous ones.

The small birthing room became even more crowded when Alice bounded into the room with Charlie trailing behind. Jasper and Esme lingered outside the door.

"Grandpa coming through!" Alice called. Ren's face lit up; Charlie was back again! She'd been worried he wouldn't make it in time. But Alice had gone after him when Ren's labor had started, and whisked him back in her fastest new car.

"All right, folks, let's give the woman some space," Carlisle ushered Bella, Edward, Jacob and Alice out of the room.

" _Grandpa_ , Gramps doesn't like being called Gramps," Ren launched into her duelling-grandfathers routine, "what should I call him instead?"

"It's going to be soon, now!" Carlisle reported to the waiting group, and Esme went off into the "kitchen" to get the rest of the equipment. Jacob bounced on the balls of his feet, and Alice jumped up and down.

"I can't wait!" she whispered to Bella, who simply clutched Edward's hand. She pulled him a little away from the group.

"I'm really nervous, Edward," Bella said, wrapping his arms around her.

"I know, honey, me too," he said.

"I mean, I'm nervous about all the things we don't know…"

"Carlisle says it looks like a normal human baby." Edward trusted Carlisle's medical judgments without question, and he knew that Bella did too. Why was she second-guessing him now?

"Well, he thought Ren was a monster, and he was wrong about that, wasn't he?"

Edward winced, his eyelids practically slamming shut. Of course, Bella would worry about Carlisle, but it was really _him_ that she was thinking about. She claimed she didn't remember anything about how Edward had behaved before Ren's birth, but Edward simply didn't believe her, and thought she was sparing his feelings. He certainly remembered, and had done everything he could not to behave that way for his daughter. But he did have his own concerns, and he probably shouldn't have kept them from Bella, he realized.

"I'm concerned, too, Bella," he sighed and held her tightly, "but Ness— Ren is fine, and that's the most important thing." _I wish I'd remembered that when it was you…I wish I hadn't been so selfish…I wish I could ever make it up to you_ …Though Bella couldn't hear his thoughts, she didn't need to. But he needed to face this, as much as she did. They couldn't allow things to go unspoken between them. They'd made each other a promise that they never would again.

"You know, she's been joking a lot about her own birth," Bella said, as if she was dipping her toe in very cold water.

Edward's mouth was thin, a tiny line in his smooth face, as he tried not to show his distress.

"I've heard her a few times," he choked out, "I can barely stand it."

"Can you blame her, though? She inherited her black sense of humor from me, after all."

"I know, my love," Edward kissed her again, less gently this time. "But I don't have to like it."

Then, Carlisle was out in the hall again.

"It's time," he said, and Bella and Edward moved to join him.

"You're doing great!" Jacob called. "That's my girl!"

16.00

All was well. The great-grandfathers and great-grandmother coo'ed and aww'ed over him; the grandparents watched as his little eyes blinked and marvelled at his tiny toes, the great-aunt and uncle smiled and jumped up and down and promised games of catch and other fun activities. The father couldn't stop smiling, and taking back the small bundle after ridiculously short amounts of time from all the adoring relatives, "for safety reasons." They all rolled their eyes, and Edward's thoughts played and replayed the identical scenes from the birth of his wife.

The baby's heartbeat was strong; his shock of black hair was thick; his brown eyes big and expressive. Edward saw those brown eyes in his daughter every day, but it swelled his metaphorical heart that there was another instance of them in the world. The original owner's were beautifully golden now, but he still missed the brown every now and then.

Bella sat with Ren and the baby for an hour by themselves, and when she came out she was more relaxed than Edward had seen in weeks.

"All systems go," she whispered to Edward.

"All right, proud papa," Jasper drawled at Jacob, "what's the little sprog's name?"

"Well," Jacob spread his hands wide, relishing the spotlight a little while his wife got some needed rest, "Nessie couldn't resist the 'Biblical precedent' as she called it." He shot a pointed look in Bella's direction, as he often did when Ren said something that 'sounded like Bella'. "So, Jacob had twelve sons, so… let's be honest, no one wants to be called Issachar or Gad, do they?"

Alice tapped her foot in exaggerated impatience, but her huge grin ruined the effect.

"We're going to call him Reuben."

A chorus of approval went through the crowd. Bella couldn't help but tell him that Reuben was the _second_ son of Jacob.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, now," he whispered back. "One thing at a time!"

There were many more hours of adoration and cooing to come; the father and mother couldn't help but think that one under-appreciated aspect of having lots of vampires for relatives is the lack of need for a baby monitor. The adorers went in pairs, so as not to tire out the little one, who was quiet and well-behaved, but certainly sleepy.

Carlisle met Bella a few hours later on the front steps, where she stood watching the snow lightly falling.

"Edward said you wanted to speak to me in private?" he asked, his voice soft and gentle, his 'doctor' voice.

"This went a lot better than last time, huh?" she smiled weakly.

Carlisle stiffened. "I thought this would probably bring up some bad human memories for you, but I know you wanted to be here."

"I'm not feeling bad human memories, Carlisle," she shook her head. "I'm remembering it through Ren's eyes. Those are some of the best memories I have of my first days in this life, thanks to her. From what Edward told me, I'm glad that's how I am able to think of it."

"What do you want me to say?" Carlisle was rarely petulant, but he was close now.

"Is there any chance that the werewolf-vampire thing is going to be a problem?"

"Not until puberty at the earliest."

"And then?"

"It's never happened before. And not like we thought with Nessie; this has really never happened. We were sure when it didn't happen for so long with them…"

"But now it has happened. Once again, the Cullens go and make things complicated."

"My guess is that the werewolf will simply refuse to assert itself. Vampire DNA seems pretty strong."

"Well, it'll be a fun guessing game for the next however long it takes him to grow up, won't it?"

Carlisle walked to her, so that he was very close to her ear as she spoke. "You seemed pretty happy for your daughter in there. Are you lying to her?"

"I am happy for her. She's wanted this for so long. But I know _you've_ been lying to her, telling her he's just a human baby. Edward saw the charts in your head — you've been slipping. Not normal human, he says, but he doesn't know what it is, so I'm sure you don't either."

"Do you think I did the wrong thing?" He was genuine in his question, but Bella was angry anyone.

"I am sick of people deciding who has the right to know all the facts. I thought I was signing up to the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me GOD when I joined up with you and my mind-reader husband and the psychic sister, but I'm constantly finding out how much more complicated it is."

"Are you going to tell her?"

"Edward has convinced me she'll figure it out soon enough, and love him anyway. Just like I loved _her_ when you and he wanted to get rid of her, that's how he put it. With a chainsaw if you had to…"

Carlisle turned away at that and returned to the house without a sound. He had never wanted to discuss that time with her. It wasn't good for the family to focus on that, he said. Esme and Rosalie couldn't handle it. The fact that she could barely handle not talking about it seemed less important somehow.

She projected to Edward, _Charlie needs to hunt, and I'm feeling like I could really chase something bearish right now. Send him to me?_

Moments later, her father appeared. His eyes were dullish amber, tending to black. He smiled.

"I never thought I'd be a great-grandad," he said. Bella hugged him and laughed. She was so proud of him. "Especially not at 66. Or is it eight?"

And they were off into the woods.

19.00

No bears were found, but a nice herd of elk was a suitable evening's entertainment. Charlie and Bella, replete, found themselves unexpectedly far into the outskirts of suburban Fairbanks. The elk, of course, had little to fear from humans, and so had not avoided habitations in their flight. Suburban Fairbanks wasn't much out here; a few houses on widely-spaced and narrow roads, no named townships or even numbered roads in some cases. A few humans passed by, warily glancing at their unseasonably light dress of pants and light sweaters. At least Bella had bothered to put on shoes this time.

They were about to head back home when Charlie suddenly stopped, putting a hand out to Bella and a finger to his lips. A conversation was taking place about 300 feet away; Bella could hear it, barely, but she knew Charlie's power made his hearing a bit more acute as a side effect. He mouthed the words of the conversation, punctuating them with his detector's judgement.

"I'm not going to hurt you," a man's voice said. _LIE_.

"Please, take my purse, I don't have anything valuable in there." _Lie_.

"I don't want your purse." _Half-truth_.

"I told you, that's all I have," _Uncomfortable truth_.

"No it isn't. Plenty of other nice things you could give me if you felt like it."

The woman's scream was enough for the both of them, and they rushed towards the sound. They found themselves in what passed for a dark alley out here. They were near a dumpster behind a small schoolhouse. The one streetlight was busted. The man, burly and bearded, had the woman, small, wearing a dress, in his grasp. Her coat was torn and laying in the road.

 _Help me_ , she mouthed at them, unable to waste time being shocked their sudden appearance.

"Hey buddy," Charlie called, sauntering forward in his best unthreatening-grandpa manner. But the man only looked up.

"Lookin' to get sent to the hospital, old man?" His laugh was phlegmy.

Bella walked around to the side of Charlie, trying her best to stay at human speed. Seeing her, the man's attention was momentarily distracted. His grip loosened.

"Hey, pretty lady," he said, his bushy eyebrows raised, "You look cold."

 _Run!_ Charlie exhorted the would-be victim non-verbally. She got the message and tore from the man's weakened grasp, taking off like a shot, around the corner before the man even realized he'd been tricked.

"I am cold," Bella said. The man lunged at her, and Charlie pushed him, so that he fell to the ground at her feet.

"Damnit. What are you?" he said to Charlie, cradling his arm where Charlie had wrenched it.

"Your worst nightmare," Bella said. _I've been waiting to use that line_ , she thought, a little smugly. The man snarled and threw himself at her again. _Criminals sure are stupid_ , Bella thought, as she hurled him against the dumpster, using his own momentum and her strength. There was a sickening thud, and then no more noise. In that one moment, Bella understood, with a feeling almost like nausea. She knew what she had done.

There was no heartbeat. She dared to look at the body, and saw that the head was jutting out at an impossible angle. She smelled the small trickle of blood, just enough to trigger an itch.

Charlie understood too, but he didn't say anything. His throat burned, but he was confident in his control. He just held Bella in his arms as she sobbed tearlessly, rubbing her back like he had done when she was a child.

"It's okay, honey," Charlie said finally, "he had it coming." She just closed her eyes, trying not to feel like she had just ruined everything.

Her phone rang. Of course Alice would call _now_.

She wasn't angry; she was chipper, even. "Don't worry, Bella! The police will assume he just got mugged. He's a known pickpocket, they won't even bother much with investigating."

Bella mumbled something and hung up. Why did Alice think that would make her feel any better?

20 September 2162

GRAND FORKS

23.30

Peter and Charlotte looked up in unison as the office window slid open, admitting Edward and Bella.

"You know, we have a new, fully-functional door now," Charlotte said.

"Never know who's out there," Edward said. "We're keeping a low profile for the moment." That was probably wise. But —

"That's your idea of low-profile?" Charlotte laughed. Edward wore a baseball cap (one of Charlie's less-favored Mariners ones) and sunglasses, and Bella was in an ill-fitting red wig. And really big sunglasses.

"It was the best we could do on short notice. And if we're going trolling, it seemed like the right note to strike."

"Edward's going with you guys," Bella said. "I'm going to wait a bit. Going to try to organize my thoughts, maybe have a quick drink. I'm pretty thirsty."

 _I wonder why Bella's leaving us with Edward deliberately_ , Charlotte thought. She thought Peter looked surprised as well. _Well, I'll do my best, but I really wish she'd just tell him_.

Bella looked at Peter and Charlotte, and saw that, as she'd hoped, they were surprised, and focused on her change of apparent tactic. She did trust them not to reveal too much, but at this point she nearly wanted to tell, to have a chance to talk to him about everything. If they let something slip, it would almost be a relief. _No! Protect Edward from something, for once_ , she admonished herself. Besides, she needed them to be preoccupied so she could put her own plan into action. It was still for the case, she told herself. It just might have other implications, if she found out what she wanted to…

The illegal blood market, despite the repeated insistence of the authorities, was indeed highly active in Grand Forks. This always puzzled newcomers, who looked around the red-light district and saw only the goodies on display, the likes of which would be unimaginable outside of a co-operative arrangement. However, the shiny upside of the collaboration, that produced the B-Clinics, also produced rules and regulations that prevented many vampires from using them, or humans from offering their wares to them, and although there were numerous semi-legal ways to get around them, sometimes it was easiest just to find a source that didn't want to see papers. Thus, vampires who had exceeded their monthly allotment of B-Clinic blood, or who were on probation for signs of bloodlust, who were banned therefore from blood bars or other legal "Extras", or who were going to be in a heavily-human detachment on some government project, who simply wanted blood more directly to their specifications, or who wanted endangered or extinct animal blood for varieties' sake, all found reason to make use of the underworld blood network. Some went to the "live" clinics for the sake of "getting it straight from the source," but that was extra-risky for all concerned; most found their dealers in the same dark street-corners and dank bars as humans found their own illicit enticements.

Surprisingly, though, humans made up more than half of the illegal blood market; humans also had highly restrictive laws limiting the profit motive for bloodselling. The urge to see what price the market would bear was strong, especially if the blood was likely to be rejected by legally-operated clinics. Many humans didn't want to sell their own blood, but needed more blood for their own health that the hospitals wouldn't give them, now that human blood was a shared, limited resource. There was really no telling, then, when one investigated the market on any given night, what sorts of people one would encounter.

The well-known areas for procuring blood were experiencing heavier policing than usual in the aftermath of the IC meeting; though the curfew had been almost immediately lifted, people were not on the streets in large numbers. It seemed to Edward that the Veeps were convinced that the attackers were connected to the humans of the underworld. But they were unable to find anyone willing to talk, as usual when they attempted to interact with humans.

Edward, Peter and Charlotte walked the streets up and down, doing their best to look mildly suspicious but also mildly interesting. After about an hour, however, it became clear that there was no one who was going to risk selling to them here; for one thing, they were in a group, and the Veeps had been breaking up groups of four or more all night. Frustrated, they decided to decamp to a high roof and wait it out a little longer. Edward perched, as was his habit, on the roof's concrete edge, walking back and forth like a tightrope-man. Peter and Charlotte simply took a seat, not ones for excess motion. Besides, they felt like sitting ducks, anyway, awaiting interrogation (by mind or voice).

Peter made a half-hearted attempt at distraction, but his vivid imagery received nothing other than a Bella-level eye roll in return, and he abandoned it.

"Look," Edward finally said, as if entering the middle of a conversation rather than the beginning, "just tell me one thing. Is there a chance that whatever you guys were doing down south has a connection to this case? And why doesn't she want to tell me?"

"That's two things," Charlotte said, for her efforts getting only a withering scowl.

"As to the first thing," Peter said, hands around his knees, "I didn't think so to start with. But now, I'm kind of wondering. It might not be that church, but there's something religious about what's going on. It just feels like this isn't the usual money-crime."

Charlotte looked a little horrified at the revelations contained in Peter's statement, but felt compelled to agree – up to a point.

"I don't know about all that, Pete, but I was thinking it was definitely the conspiracy angle that connected…"

This got Edward's attention. "Conspiracy angle?"

"Do you know anything about what Bella was doing down there?"

"She said she was deputized to 'put down' a conflict between a coven of vampires and a human militia with some serious firepower. She called them the Hatfields and McCoys a few years ago in an email."

"That's what it was, in essence."

"So, what's the big deal? I already know all that. I don't understand why I couldn't go with her – "

Charlotte stood up, in sudden realization. "That's why! Because someone in the human government – or the Shadow I guess – knew what Bella was going to find out."

"Which is _what_?"

Both Peter and Charlotte were quiet then. "That's the part that Bella wants you to stay away from. She said it would only put you in danger to know."

"Why is it OK that you do then? No offense, but I don't understand why she'd entrust something like this to people she, relatively speaking, doesn't really know…"

"It's not a matter of entrusting. We were just kind of there. I don't think they knew where we were, that we were nearby and had been dealing with the Hatfield-McCoy business a little ourselves. We'd not really been back long, and were known as nomads, so I think they couldn't have predicted Bella would enlist us. I think she might have been explicitly told you were not allowed."

"Fine, then. What is the conspiracy?"

"Well, it's just the thought. What if they sent her down there not to clean it up, but to take her out of here, to allow their real plans to get set up. They needed Bella to be interacting with the coven down there, but maybe the coven was working for someone else… Maybe they needed them to collect information on Bella, that's somehow led to the whole TRUTH blood thing."

"I don't think I can understand this unless you tell me a little more." Edward fantasized about dangling Peter over the edge of the roof by his neck for a moment. The fanatical loyalty Bella inspired in him did not prepare him to understand why Peter and Charlotte were allowing him to remain in the dark about so much…

Then he heard a stray thought in Charlotte's head, simultaneous with her speech: _Maybe it's that Volturi business_. But she was saying: "The way the coven treated her was weird. They were definitely expecting her, and only her. And they didn't want to fight her, at least not right away."

 _Now, what could this have to do with the Volturi_ , Edward wondered. Finally, he'd gotten them to crack, maybe even without realizing it. As far as he knew, Jane had been the last of the Volturi. Could this Louisiana mission have revealed that to be false? Or perhaps something resulting from the whole Black Swan thing, that was definitely a reason why some crazy vamps would fixate on Bella specifically. Too many possibilities swarmed in his mind, but the piece that would make it all make sense with what was happening now, in GF, was eluding him. It was pretty clear, at least, that Bella wasn't secretly hiding the whole solution from him. It was something specifically about that coven. She meant something to them, and for some reason, she was convinced that it would be dangerous to Edward if he knew what, or why. There was no way, Edward decided, that it was more dangerous for him to know than not. But he had to make Bella understand that…

 _It was too dangerous_. Whatever this plot was, it seemed clear that the Hatfield vampire coven had been a trap for her, to get her out of the way, to build her own unique singing, secret, illegal blood. What it was that lay behind the coven, their organizing principle that she had never discovered, the key to the cipher that was all of their cryptic, and creepy, statements, it was clearly huge. _If Edward didn't know, they couldn't hurt him. She needed to do this on her own._ It was like a mantra. She had, somehow, brought this on herself; whether it was her actions in Italy making her "famous" or her place in weirdo-vamp lore as the first voluntary vampire, or something else, it was her fault. She had to protect Edward, Charlie and Ren from any repercussions if she could.

And so she sat in the office at ABO, staring at the TRUTH blood package. The word was stenciled in such a way as to mimic 'typewriter font', a very old-fashioned look, not one that would appeal to most dealers, always looking for the next big thing. What had first seemed to be a simple dot logo, Bella realized after much staring, was actually a finely-inked black swan, stylized to be bending its neck back, tucking its beak under its breast. It reminded her of some medieval images of pelicans, plucking the feathers of their breasts, to bleed and feed their young. To the medieval Christians, it was a symbol of the Eucharist, of the sacrifice of Christ for the world, but in this context, Bella shuddered to imagine what was meant. Something about it definitely made her think of the Hatfields, though, and their rhetoric about her place in the 'new world'.

But the most important thing about the package was not its wrapping, but its scent. In light of her recent thoughts about her unusual lack of bloodlust, it seemed almost certain that Peter and Charlotte were right. Someone had found out her own 'personal brand'. And she had to find them. She wanted a taste…it sang to her…

She was nevertheless able to resist even this, even alone. And so she tucked the package into her jacket and set out. Blood is Life might be innocent of the recent murder and attack, but they were situated right in the middle of the region that most human-vampire interactions happened. At this time of night, Bella bet there would be some dealers hanging around the church who could point her in the right direction.

When she arrived at the church, she was not disappointed. Several shady-looking young men slouched on the steps, wearing heavy-ish coats. Confidence was the only way with these; the shy girl act would only get lewd comments and tempt her to end them. Her vampire speed enabled her to appear before the slouchers as if by magic; they mumbled and nodded in appreciation.

"What can I do for you, lady?" the largest one asked. He was already reaching into his coat. Bella held up her hand.

"Not looking to buy, tonight," she said. "I'm actually trying to hook up with someone, he got me a real nice present." She wiggled her eyebrows a little; that was always a good move.

"Who're you lookin' for?" A reedy, almost vampire-pale human man leaned forward.

"I don't know the gentleman's real name, only his handle," she said, with an added careful, hopeful tone. "TRUTH is what he goes by."

Several of the dealers definitely knew the name, but that didn't make them eager to share. Closed-off body language sprouted everywhere, except for the large one who had been the first to speak to her.

"Yeah, I know him. He's around here sometimes. Doesn't ever seem to make sales — you say he left you a present?" Bella briefly considered showing him the package, but thought better of it.

"He seemed to want to get to know me," she said, again suggestive. She just wished she knew exactly what it was she was suggesting.

"Well, that's no surprise, girl," the large man said, as he pulled himself up to his full height. He pointed down the alley that ran alongside the church, where she and Edward had run into Reuben.

"He's usually down the other end there, if he's out," he said. He looked expectant, but Bella decided it would be good to vanish as quickly as she arrived, and so she did. Halfway down the alley, she stopped. This stretch of vampire-themed businesses would be a good place to troll for blood, but there didn't seem to be anyone around tonight. The lights were off at Sanguinity; perhaps post-riot it was deemed prudent to shutter the restaurant until the humans got over their most recent bouts of fear and anger. The counseling office, too, was locked up tight. It looked at first as though the spa was closed, too, but a small light clicked on in the tiny upstairs window as Bella passed by, weakly illuminating the garish marquee beneath it.

 _Find the best skin for the best you_

 **ALETHEIA vampire skin treatment spa**

 _And for all species_

Shown in dull lime-green neon tubes, set against a white clapboard storefront, in need of a new coat of paint. The whole operation looked very low-rent, and yet Bella was sure that when she had passed it on a few occasions before, in the daylight, she had seen very wealthy-looking human women emerging. Skin treatment was certainly not something the average GFer was likely to include in their weekly budget. It crossed Bella's mind that she had no idea what a "vampire skin treatment" would even be. _Make your skin more like marble with buffer polish? Apply permanent pale makeup? Just a fancy name for some heavy-chemical blemish cream application?_ It was a nicely vague hook to catch the vamp-curious, but there was something quite sinister about the whole get-up.

There was a tiny brass doorbell, and Bella contemplated whether to ring it. Leaning in to do so, she spotted an almost painted-over nameplate, oddly-positioned above the handle. It read "Verity Simpkins, M.D." And just above the nameplate, was a black dot — that was a perfect match, if you had vampire eyesight, for the 'dot' on the TRUTH blood package.

Everything clicked into place then. Aletheia, such an unusual name for a "spa". Sure, of course, the kind of people who went to a spa in Grand Forks were more likely to be impressed with a fancy-sounding Greek name, but still… distant memories of ancient philosophy floated to the surface, and to grad-school discussions about Plato. _Aletheia_ : the state of not being hidden; disclosure; _TRUTH_.

There was doubt in Bella's mind now: whoever had sent her the blood package was associated with this spa somehow. She rattled the door-handle, thinking she would just break in. Above, the tiny light which had caught her attention initially flickered out, and she heard the unmistakable sounds of a vampire beating a hasty retreat. Probably would be better to come back with back-up, or at least a plan of some kind. In the mean time, she had to tell Edward and Charlie about her discovery, or at least the connections she'd found. And find out what, if anything, Edward had been told by Peter and Charlotte. It was becoming clear that she'd have to tell him _something_. She had assumed, or rather she had hoped, that what she had been involved in in Louisiana had nothing to do with the case. But she had been very wrong.

 _The vampires danced around her in a circle, in a display which looked like nothing more than a parody of maypole dancing._

" _Oh, Black Swan! It's because of you that we came into the open, you are the one who made this great new world of ours. Rejoice in your position! Rejoice in our devotion! Rejoice that we can now live in truth!"_

21 September 2162

04.00

The checkpoint for entry to Grand Forks from the south was styled to be as intimidating as possible. The former golf course had been abandoned, of course, and then refashioned as a large, concrete "entry center" where arrivals could be checked, processed, met, and provided with information. Charlie sat in one of the long banks of metal chairs, the only person waiting at this time. Nessie was late; her call had said she would arrive at 02.30. That in itself was hardly unusual, but Charlie couldn't help it; he was nervous. She was listed as "human" on her pass. It was best to maintain that fiction to smooth over the process. No doubt someone in the administration knew that Charlie Swan had a hybrid granddaughter, but there was no reason that they would suspect "Ronnie Coogan-Bland" of being her.

The attendant looked up from the crossword puzzle he'd been staring out without making a single pencil mark for an hour and announced, "Looks like your visitor's finally here." He gestured with his pencil at the small telemonitor which showed a grainy black and white image of a large windowless van pulling up to the first checkpoint. The van was moving painfully slowly. Charlie wondered if they'd run out of cels and that was what had caused the delay. As if to torture him some more, the van rolled through the checkpoint a few inches and then was stopped. Everyone piled out, and "Ronnie" brought forward. They weren't letting the guards in? That was new.

Nessie then disappeared from the monitor, and Charlie got ready. Her paperwork he had left earlier, and there would surely not be any problems there. He thought about it: had it really been thirty years? Time meant so little to him, and yet so much. He pondered if she would look any older…

And then she was at the gate, smiling and shaking hands with the functionary who ushered her into the room. When she caught sight of Charlie, she broke from the handshake and ran to him, wrapping him in the kind of hug that only a grandchild could, or so Charlie thought. But he somehow doubted that that was a "give-away" to any of these bored workers. She dragged him out of the entry center as fast as a fake-human could, and once they were finally clear of the many gates and doors, she whispered to him, wrapping him in another hug.

"I'm so happy to see you, Grandpa. I've missed everyone so much!" That was all that needed to be said, apparently, until they arrived back at the house. Bella and Edward were waiting, looking a bit like Christmas, as Charlie liked to say. _Good_ , he thought, _I'm glad you talked to each other_. _One hundred and fifty plus years, he thought, and they are still trying to save each other from themselves_.

For a little while, the family didn't say anything at all, just relished the first few moments of togetherness. They sat around, drinking and smiling and feeling happiness. It felt almost weird. It felt like there had been a contract amongst the three of them not to speak of their times with/as "the Cullens" and the many pleasures it had afforded. Now, though, in this room, it felt like a beginning of something new; could there be a refashioned "Cullens" (with a sie of Swan?) that really worked, that felt like a family? Was that too much to hope for?

"You've got a really nice house, Grandpa," Nessie said.

"Thanks, sweetie."

More contented, but not entirely comfortable, silence. Charlie asked about her journey from Kansas. She reported only one vamp attack. Charlie mentioned that they used to let the Reloc guards come in with their "guests." Nessie shrugged. "They didn't seem to really want to come in." She was very grateful to her guards, but it wasn't as though they'd become friends.

Nessie looked, really looked, at her parents. Grainy video and crumpled photos had not been enough. They looked, of course, as radiant and youthful as ever. And they still sat together on the sofa, in just the way that they had told her she wasn't allowed to sit with Jacob, at least not until she was "real eighteen." The irony had never impressed them, for some reason.

"I think I finally look older than you," she said. They waved her off, dismissing her. But in truth, they couldn't know if she was still aging. She still felt the same, exactly as strong as she felt when she had "matured", but she'd hardly had regular medical exams lately.

She had shared her memories with her father, and mother, and grandfather in turn. They all relished her images of the wild, free world around her in the Amazon; the smiling children she had taught; the monkeys who tried to steal food; the heavy rains; the tall trees; the calm of the night. She was glad that she was able to choose what to share with them; some things could wait. Now was the time to tell them how she had been safe, secure, happy, fulfilled.

As dawn was breaking, Nessie sighed and punched the pillow behind her. "Okay, Grandma, Mom, Dad… you've got to be honest with me now. You've got to tell me. I know something really serious is going on. Where is my husband? And where is my son?"

For different reasons, everyone wished they knew the answers.


	13. 12: The Hollow Men

"Eyes I dare not meet in dreams In death's dream kingdom These do not appear… Let me be no nearer In death's dream kingdom Let me also wear Such deliberate disguises… Not that final meeting In the twilight kingdom"

 **(Eliot,** _ **The Hollow Men**_ **)**

21 September 2162 08.00 Pastor Dominic fidgeted. He had never before been so outnumbered. The air in the warehouse was cool and stale, recycled. It tasted of chalk and chemicals. It made him sweat. The vampire in the center of the room raised his hand, signaling for silence. The low murmur ceased immediately. "We are near the completion of our goal. Let us be proud, but we must remain vigilant." Nods and quiet assent passed around the circle. The vampire raised his hand again. He appeared to be forty or so, and wore clothes that had been fashionable in the early twentieth century, in the manner of those who had come only very recently to co-op life. His hair was slicked back, giving him a classic vampiric widow's peak. This made Dominic immensely nervous; this was the goal. "The time is coming," he began, "and it may well be already here, if recent events are any indication. My apologies, pastor, for the allusion." Dominic's brow furrowed. When he figured out what was meant, the conversation had already moved on. "Unfortunate as the situation may seem, I think it is time we step up activities inside the city. We shall make it clear to our humble servants — " another glance in his direction; Dominic was trembling in an unpleasantly obvious way, "that we need more product before the next phase can begin. For us, and for any of them. Grand Forks shall truly be rewarded. Soon, we will be able to proclaim — let all who are hungry, come and drink, no matter the situation in the world." A sharp nod, and Dominic found the hood being pulled back over his face and his legs lifted from the ground. He did so wish that they could find a nicer way to transport him to their headquarters…

09.00

Tom McGarry's apartment building was massive. The elevator crawled, as if to impress even vampires with its vastness. Charlie and Edward grunted, muttered and thought that they could have run up the stairs faster. In this part of the city, though, they did as they were told, and their police guards had made it clear that they were only allowed in because McGarry himself had promised to be held responsible if they violated any laws or regulations.

They were left at the ornately decorated double-doors. Greeted by McGarry himself ( _I half expected a butler,_ Charlie thought) they went in, to see that the height and splendor continued inside.

"Nice digs," Charlie went for the understatement. The huge wrap-around window gave as scenic a view of downtown GF as could be; the antique-but-chic furniture was arranged just so, and there was even a fake fireplace. Charlie didn't even want to know what the electricity bill for that would be.

"Thanks," McGarry responded, shuffling his feet. "I just wish I knew why I had all this stuff. No one's come by to tell me…"

"Your plea," Edward said, "might have got lost in the chaos, don't you think?"

 _Why's he angry? It's not like that was my fault_ …

"But, I mean, someone must know who I am. I must have worked somewhere, made a lot of money," McGarry straddled a leather-and-stud bench. "No one's called, no one's come to visit, no reporters even." _Truth_ , Charlie confirmed.

"Do you have any idea why you might be of interest to illegal blood dealers?" Edward walked up to McGarry, loomed over him.

 _What? Not this again. My blood is fine!_

"Why do you ask?"

"Who else has asked you about your blood?"

 _How does he know about that?_ "Um, it was when I went to the police the first time. They asked for my specs. Of course I couldn't give them, so they swabbed me. Even though I couldn't spare any at that point!" _Truth_.

"I don't think you've been entirely honest with us, Mr. McGarry," Edward knew he was taking a calculated risk in being confrontational. But if, as they all suspected, McGarry was being watched, this approach wouldn't give too much away.

"I swear, the police wanted to know if my blood was special for some reason."

"Is it?"

"No!" _I don't know_ …

"Where does all the money come from, McGarry?"

"I don't know!"

"Why would an informant tell me that you were not even named Tom McGarry?"

"I don't know!"

Edward looked at Charlie, who grimaced. _Not getting a good read. He's definitely not faking the confusion, but something's not truthful_.

"I need you to make sure you telling me the whole _truth_ ," Edward said, repeating his 'attack phrase' as he'd come to think of it.

 _What? God, I can smell him. He smells kind of nice, though. Wait, they told you it would be like this. He's trying to dazzle you. They practiced_ … An image came into Edward's mind, showing McGarry in a bare room, concrete floors cold on his knees. A group of vampires surrounded him, but their faces were obscured – not physically, but mentally. An old, wizened hand – cold as granite, passed in front of McGarry's face.

"Wait! Do that again!" McGarry leapt up to meet Edward's "dazzling" gaze.

It was Edward's turn to be confused. "Do what?"

"I was thinking about you, and then I had a memory! I haven't had very many, but the few I've had, it was when you were staring at me."

"It wasn't because I asked you to tell the _truth_?" Another image: this one of McGarry in a comfortable bed. The sensations felt like sleep, but not real sleep – a twilight haze. Edward felt McGarry sense people moving around him, but they were silhouettes or shadows. Gauze covered his eyes. A man's voice, human in timbre, said in the distance… _keep him down dammit, he keeps coming up, this isn't working right_ …

"Did you just have another one?" Edward asked. McGarry nodded.

"Could you tell us?" McGarry squeezed his eyes shut, as if trying to bring it into focus, and then recounted exactly what Edward had seen, the words spoken evenly, in an imitation of a deeper voice. _You know my detector isn't great with memories_ , Charlie reminded Edward. _But this one is either real, or someone's convinced him it is_.

If someone was watching them now, McGarry might be in trouble.

"Would you mind coming for a walk with us?" Edward asked, staying in "dazzling" mode.

McGarry panicked. "I can't leave! They told me I can't leave!"

"Who?"

"Your people, you know, Shadows. I think."

"When did they speak to you?"

"During the riot. We were all waiting in some strong-room, when the guards pulled us back. They told me to go with the guards back here, and not to leave. They said I wouldn't need to. And I haven't; someone keeps delivering food. They even brought me a telescreen. I've been watching some weird show about North Dakota in the old days. No vampires. Lots of oil."

"And you didn't think to mention this?" Charlie got up and grabbed the man by his shirt. A little shaking wasn't against the rules…

"Well, I figured you guys would know. They said you did."

"What exactly did they say?"

"They said that Swan and Cullen would still work the case, and that I shouldn't bother you."

Edward sighed. The Shadow knows, indeed. He should have guessed they would try to keep McGarry out of the way. Not good PR to have him demanding answers like that. Not good PR to kill him for real either, at least, that was something.

"Well, we won't make the Shadow upset by going outside with you right now. But maybe don't eat any new food deliveries until we have a chance to call you…"

McGarry nodded, his heartbeat frantic. Every time Edward thought he'd seen the depths of panic that this man could get to, he was surprised.

"One more question: does the word 'Volturi' bring up any memories?"

Charlie looked at Edward in alarm. _What do they_ … Edward shook him off.

It wasn't so much an image Edward saw now, more a feeling. Still wrapped up in the gauze of the previous memory, there was a sense of humming, a mildly pleasant heat filtering through his body. And a few words, repeated, feminine, low and comforting. _We'll be safe soon, you'll be safe soon, we'll all be safe_.

10.00

"Alice is going to flip when I tell her you willingly took me to a spa!" Ren was genuinely excited in a way that made Bella question whether she was really her daughter.

"It's not like that," Bella grumbled. "It's just that Charlie and Edward can't really go undercover to this place."

"I don't know, Mom, Dad always looks like he's just been to have some kind of skin treatment!" Ren had always teased her Mom and Dad both mercilessly, and it was kind of great to have her and her quips back, if only to be reminded of so many things she'd forgotten to make fun of Edward for.

Walking arm-in-arm down the heavily-human street with Ren was a different experience for Bella. She was so used to the natural respect that she received when with another vampire, or in her own right, that the comfort and lack of fear she was feeling now seemed just _wrong_. Something about a vampire who was allowed by a heartbeat to get so close made all the other heartbeats completely lose their prey-instincts. Ren, for her part, was shocked that her mother continually misjudged the amount of personal space other humans needed, due to lack of practice at having to maintain such boundaries herself. More than once, she had to gently pull back on Bella's arm to keep her from walking unacceptably close to a human.

"Mom, you are way too close!" she rasped. Bella shrunk back, embarrassed to be coralled by her daughter.

"Stop calling me Mom or you'll blow our cover already!" Bella whispered, for her part. She'd gone for a subtler wig-and-sunglasses look this time, as well as a much demurer dress; she even, at Ren's suggestion, added some jewelry. It was just the sort of costume for going to the spa in GF — if she didn't already have flawless vampiric skin, of course.

Ren had dressed similarly, and they planned their approach to emphasize her desire for a treatment to make her skin match her 'friend's'. The fact that Ren's skin was only slightly less ideal than her 'friend's' would never be mentioned by the staff, scenting a big payday. Humans who successful befriended vampires were almost always wealthy and/or special in some way, or so conventional GF wisdom had it. It should be a useful belief to exploit, and enable distraction.

As they crossed in front of Blood is Life, a few whistles from the loitering youngsters made Ren smile and Bella scowl and grab her arm a bit tighter. Ren punched Bella playfully in the arm: "Stop being such a Mom!"

That, of course, only made Bella scowl a bit more. _It was fine when Ren teased, but did she have to always go right for her insecurities?_ Ren knew that her teasing wasn't always helpful, but she was also lucky enough to have an excellent tool for soothing hurt feelings. She lay her hand on her mother's cheek, and almost immediately the scowl turned into a peaceful expression, and then to a smile.

 _Near the arctic circle, at midnight in June. A not-quite-fully grown Ren is bundled up in winter wear. The four of them are there, on a cliff overlooking the sea, laughing at the sleepy seals: Charlie, even more bundled up than Ren, heart beating, holding one of her hands, Bella with the other, Edward behind her, his hands on her shoulders. Family vacation, they'd called it. Ren was thinking… her parents and grandpa were the best. She wonders if she could keep a seal as a pet, and Edward shakes his head, but laughs. Then he throws her up, she loves the feeling of almost flying, high in the sky — way off in the distance, a whale spouts — and Bella catches her. Charlie is startled at Bella's ease. "She's light as a feather," is all that she says, and Charlie shrugs._

When Ren lifts her fingers, only a second in human time has passed. It was funny, Bella thought, how Ren seemed to have so many contented, cheerful memories. Sometimes, in dark moments, she had accused her of papering over the difficulties of her bizarre childhood, but maybe it was time to believe her insistence that she had been happy. And not to tell her about the arguments she had had with Carlisle about going on holiday with Charlie, away from the "family".

"Thank you," Bella said. Their path had taken them almost to their destination now. They were in front of Sanguinity, the blood-themed restaurant, and Ren dragged her over to look at the menu, posted on a blood-red board, inscribed in white chalk.

"This looks pretty good, actually," Ren said. "Definitely my kind of menu!" She pointed to "ox-blood soup" in particular. "You could even eat that!" Bella wrinkled her nose.

"I don't know that they really want vamps in there. It's all human food, even that." Ox blood was _not_ a favorite. Even in her vegetarian days…

"Oh come on, it might be fun!"

Bella raised an eyebrow. "OK, fine, you win. I'm not going unless I can wear a comprehensive disguise, though." She smiled, though.

Ren hadn't thought of the recognition issue. She'd only really heard of her mom's celebrity second-hand, through Alice's occasional calls and visits. In the abstract, it seemed kind of cool. But maybe not for right now.

"Well, maybe after this is all taken care of," Ren said, waving vaguely. They kept walking the last few steps until they were at the door of Aletheia. Ren pressed the buzzer. A crackly female voice came through:

"Name and appointment time?"

"Ronnie Coogan-Bland, 10.15!" 'Ronnie' was extremely chipper. She bounced on her toes. Bella laughed and whispered in her ear, "Are you channeling Alice or something?"

"Well, she's definitely my character inspiration, let's say!" Ren smiled as the door buzzed and creaked open slightly. They walked in, and were immediately captured and ushered in by a large human woman with an enormous pile of blond hair.

"Ms Coogan-Bland, if you wouldn't mind filling out these forms so we know what treatments to give you… and is your friend joining you?" She cocked her head at Bella, who had already moved to take seat.

"Oh no, she's just here as a reference point! I'm always moaning about how my human skin just can't compare to hers. She finally told me to come here and stop complaining!"

"I see. You know, we do have a wide range of treatments that vampires can enjoy…"

"Nothing today, thank you," Bella called as she scoped out the waiting area.

The inside of the spa was substantially more impressive than the exterior. Everything was white metal and wood, painted to an extreme high gloss. Even the chairs looked like they were designed less for spa-relaxation than the ideal catalogue image. Bella went to sit down next to a woman who would have been described by Charlie as a 'Morticia Adams' type. He'd tried to get her to watch that show eighty years ago, and she still teased him about it. This Morticia-vampire looked over the top of her sunglasses at Bella (her auburn wig less-eyecatching this time) and made a face like she smelled something, before turning back to the book she was reading. Bella, for her part, attempted a friendly-smile and pulled out her book. She was working her way through Austen again, but was finding _Persuasion_ a tough slog, as always. But once a decade or so, she convinced herself to give it another try. She had barely had time to read a paragraph when a familiar voice wafted over to her. She spotted its source as he moved, quickly and with an impression of stealth, across the far end of the room. As he spoke, he walked along the bright white wall to a gunmetal grey door.

 _Now, what's a man of the cloth doing at a spa? Didn't look like he'd been having much work done lately_ …

"Thank you very much, Señor Dunstano," pastor Dominic. "I will certainly consider everything we've talked about."

The pastor slipped through the door, opening it as narrowly as possible. Señor Duñstano, who looked well-fed and bald but otherwise in the usual fit state for a forty-ish-appearing vampire, looked mildly concerned. He turned to his companion, a tall and ethereal woman who, Bella thought, looked like one of the Shadow legislators, or at least Edward's description of her. This woman did not seem to share Dunstano's consternation, however, and whispered to him, cupping his cheek, before herself sliding gracefully through the door.

Ren finished filling out her forms and was directed to sit in the waiting area. Sliding in next to Bella, she leaned over. "This bench won't put me in a relaxing frame of mind!" She fidgeted. "Obviously designed by a vampire!"

The Morticia looked up again, and scoffed. Soon, the attendant arrived, carrying a robe, and led Ren off for her 'treatment'. She smiled at Bella, a quick touch confirming that she remembered all the things she as to look for: unnecessary medical equipment, large amounts of packaged blood products, anything that looked either pregnancy or B-Clinic related, and simply anything that looked like it wasn't for skin treatments.

Bella, for her part, walked casually up to the reception desk.

"Do you have any materials on available treatments for vampires?"

"Certainly. What age were you changed?"

"Eighteen."

"Lucky you," the enormous woman looked at her closely for the first time. "The ladies here are always trying to get that look." She handed over some stiff cards. Bella started looking them over at the desk, until the receptionist cleared her throat and cautiously suggested she sit down "to be more comfortable." Polite language had not yet found an easy way to deal with the fact that most human activities were performed by vampires only as a sort of social lubrication, or subterfuge, designed to help _humans_ be more comfortable.

Bella sat again, but rather than read the information, she focused on trying to hear a conversation that she could only just hear. It was probably taking place on the other side of that door. Dunstano had disappeared, but it sounded like it was the woman and someone else, talking vampire-soft, but not soft enough. A few words trickled out.

"The organization…ready to go…need to move quickly".

The unidentified other voice, also likely female, was even softer. Possibly human.

"Draw up…shipment is ready…warehouse…".

Nothing conclusive there, but interesting enough. Bella tuned out, thinking the conversation was over, until she heard _McGarry_ … she looked around. It seemed too close to have been from behind the door, but she didn't see anyone nearby who could have spoken it.

Just then, a woman dressed in an attendent's uniform appeared before her. She was human, and shy, but was trying to be brave. It was not a bad scent on a human.

"Ms. Swift?" She hesitated, tapping her feet. Bella smiled at her daughter's choice of pseudonym. Always a mistake to go the thematic route, but damn it, birds were just useful that way.

"Yes?" Bella said, rising gently.

"Your friend wants you to join her briefly for a consult. She says they need you for a color-comparison?" _Is that a thing? Who knew deathly-pale had shades_ …

The attendant led Bella back through a maze of narrow corridors. Behind a few doors as they made their way, Bella heard angry human telephone calls, one argument about a misapplied chemical treatment, and at least twice she could have sworn she heard someone say _the truth is_ …or _to tell you the truth_ … but that was just using a common English word. Perhaps she was getting paranoid?

At a heavy curtain, Bella was abandoned by the attendant. The curtainw as drawn aside by Ren, who had some kind of green, foul-smelling paste spread all over her face and chest. She waved Bella inside, the curtain falling closed with a thump.

"What's this about a color-comparison?" Bella asked. Ren nodded at the woman next to her, who was busying herself wringing out a cloth in green water.

"This is Marta. She thought you'd enjoy joining us."

Marta stood, offering her seat to Bella. When Bella saw her, she knew immediately who had been her "angel" the other night. Standing before her was the older woman whom she had saved from the non-vampire attack, her first night back. The woman whose friend she had just seen murdered in the park. Why was this woman working here? And why was she trying to help them in their investigation?

"It is not a good time to chat." Marta stated. "But it is nice to see you again."

Bella nodded. "I'm glad to see you well. I'm sorry — "

Marta held up her hand. "Don't be. I — your friend Ronnie here was telling me that you sometimes go to a bar called Type ABO?"

A strange change of topic. Bella looked at Ren, who smiled and shook her head. _Oh. Ren didn't tell her about ABO — of course not, Ren doesn't even know about it. So Marta's Mr. TRUTH? No, that's impossible. But she must at least know him_.

"Yes, we're occasional patrons there."

"I've always wanted to go to a blood bar. Is it safe?" _For humans? Or for you, specifically?_ Bella didn't know that she could give assurance to the latter question.

"Humans are welcome there. There's animal blood, and some non-blood drinks…"

"I think I'll visit tomorrow after dinner. Thanks for the tip!" Bella understood, of course, that the woman didn't feel comfortable sharing whatever it was she needed to share here. But it was a bold move for her to invite this conversation. Maybe she was getting desperate.

"We'll try to be there. It's a fun place." Bella was cool, but hoped Marta saw her nod. She thought she did, because she relaxed visibly and began layering Ren's skin, once again, with cloths soaked in the green liquid. Bella decided to remain for the duration of the 'treatment', in part to keep Marta safe and in part out of grotesque fascination.

An hour later, they emerged. Bella and Ren walked out, arm-in-arm once again, Ren's skin looking exactly as luminous and clear as it had when they had come in. They didn't look back at Marta, who scurried off into the depths of the building without a word.

Once out on the crowded street, Bella asked Ren, "so how was your first spa experience?"

"Hopefully my last! I don't know what Alice is always raving about."

"Well, I don't think she's been to one since…maybe they used to be better."

"I'll be smelling that algae for a week!" Ren practically skipped as they walked back into bustling downtown GF. She continued to talk about how exciting the morning's activities had been, though, and Bella thought, _she's enjoying herself. Maybe she could be happy here, doing the Swan and Cullen thing_. _Maybe we can get the band back together, for real_. That thought made Bella happy, but also feel a little guilty. "The Swan and Cullen thing" might not be roughing it in the rainforest, but it wasn't all peaches and cream and undercover spa trips either. And would Ren really want to stay here, with the Jacob situation and Reuben lurking in the shadows? Bella knew there needed to be a conversation soon about Jacob, and that Reuben was always in the corner of her daughter's thoughts, threatening to jump out like a cat and topple everything. It wasn't good to get her hopes up that Ren would want to stay here, once she had to face all that was the reality of life in Grand Forks.

15 September 2159

GRAND FORKS

02.00

Charlie had a saying. Though neither he nor Bella was sure, Bella strongly suspected it was one he had so over-used as a human that his vampire self couldn't help from continue to repeat it. It seemed like the kind of thing a small-town police chief would be fond of. And it was a saying that decades as a vampire had not made any less true: "Nothing good comes of a phone call after midnight."

Bella was alone in the office. Charlie was starting some new boat-related project. Edward had gone up hunting, but Bella was still replete from the massive take-down they'd pulled off a few days ago. A whole ring of ice-dealers had been meeting in a railway car, plotting to introduce a new, more-deadly strain into GF. They had made the mistake of getting on the radar of Swan and Cullen, thinking that police indifference was enough to protect them. They had been wrong about that. Edward, as usual, hadn't wanted much to drink from that lot, and let Bella have three of them — far more than she would have usually bothered with. She wouldn't need to drink any blood, much less go hunting, for weeks now…

Sitting alone in the office was not her favorite way to pass the time. She'd never understood how her father did it so often. She doodled. She listened to the radio, which made her feel old like nothing else could. _That's music, really?_ She found herself mumbling so often, she turned it off. At least there were some channels catering to a wider variety of tastes now, but tonight nothing seemed to be coming through from the early-twenty-first-century oldies station. It was located in New York, so that wasn't too surprising. She doodled some more, and made a few notes for the novel she'd been toying with. It was time for a new series, since she'd had to switch publishers and pseudonyms. Maybe she'd try a mortal romance, for a change; something tragic, more in a classic vein. Those still sold well. But she wasn't getting very far. She was halfway to the filing cabinet, thinking she might as well go over some cold cases, when it happened.

The phone rang. It wasn't a local call, and it wasn't an international call. It was the national ring. Who did they even know in USA territory, who didn't live in Grand Forks? Bella couldn't think of anyone. And no out-of-city client would call at this hour.

She almost didn't answer it, worried it could be another expensive prankster. Businesses were constantly complaining to the government about receipt-charges, but for now, it was not an issue the senate was willing to budge on. They had to get their taxes from somewhere…

In the end, though, Bella knew she had to pick up, if only to satisfy her curiosity.

When she hit the answer button, there was none of the usual clicks and buzzes. Just a very efficient-sounding female voice.

"The President of the United States for Bella Cullen."

Now that was a sentence Bella never expected to hear. But she mentally gulped and did her best impression of someone who took calls from the President all the time.

"This is Bella Cullen." A single click and slight whirr.

"Mrs. Cullen," the voice of the President rang in her ear, sharp and authoritative, but with a warm edge. "I'm glad we found you. I have something of great importance to ask of you."

"To ask of me?" _Great, Bella, just repeat every few words. That makes you sounds really with it_.

"Yes. There is a crisis taking place right now in our Louisiana territory. The exact location is unclear, but we know that the center of the problem is there."

There was a pause, and Bella felt like she was expected to say something, but she couldn't think what. Eventually, the President continued.

"We, the United States government, need you to undertake a secret mission to this territory. It will be your job to end this conflict as quietly and peacefully as you can."

A secret mission? Her?

"Mr. President," Bella said, keeping her voice as calm as possible, "I'm a little confused. Why would you send one of the most well-known vampires in the world on a secret mission?"

"It's not _you_ that would have to be secret. You just can't tell anyone what you're doing. You'll have full powers to undertake the mission however you see fit — no, er, interaction rules apply."

"You want me to go on a mission, but I can't tell anyone? Including my husband?"

"That's correct."

"I'm not going to go kill a bunch of humans without his — special abilities to make sure — "

"I'm quite certain that won't be necessary. You'll understand more once you are fully debriefed. A presidential plane will meet you at the University airfield tomorrow, 22.00."

"What can I tell everyone?"

"Just say you are going on a special detachment. You can give them periodic updates, just like soldiers."

"Do I have a choice, Mr. President?"

"You will be amply compensated."

"That sounds like a no."

"You are the only one that can help us. Do you feel any sense of civic responsibility?"

"Mr. President, I'll do it. But I want to be able to tell my family something so they don't worry."

The President cleared his throat. He so rarely seemed unsure of himself.

"Very well. Tell them you'll be undercover in Louisiana for a year. After a year we'll assess your progress."

Click.

 _You are the only one_ …It is a very rare person who can resist being told that they alone are the answer. But to Bella, it was a sentence guaranteed to make her doubt.


	14. 13: Wolves and Sheep

"It never troubles the wolf how many the sheep may be."

 **(Attributed to Virgil)**

21 September 2162

16.30

Renesmee began her search for her husband and son with the Wolfpack, a now-mostly-inaptly-named building in the University district. There, she learned that no one, wolf or otherwise, had seen Jacob, wolf or otherwise, since the IC meeting. She presented herself as 'a friend' of Jacob's, and no one seemed to disbelieve her. Had he not told any of his GF buddies that he even had a wife?

A huge plate of raw beef sat before her. A half-dozen pairs of eyes (three wolves and three humans) stared at her, this tiny obviously-non-wolf girl, and she felt self-conscious about her food for the first time in a long while. Even the Reloc guards hadn't batted an eye at her unusual food requests. They knew she wasn't a vampire, of course, but they probably assumed she was one of the many aspirants who found their way to GF through money, influence or nepotism. It didn't make much sense to Ren that humans who wanted to be vampires would eat bloody raw meat, but maybe some did, as a way of proving their worth to themselves, if nothing else. It was hard not to be judgmental of aspirants, but she tried very hard. She came from a privileged position, and knew more than any aspirant could about the world they longed to join. But the most surprising thing to her was how angry her mother used to get about them.

 _You're only mad that they're copying you!_ She had said once as an angry (real) teenager. Bella's response was usually that the average aspirant was hardly likely to be the eternal mate of the average available vamp, which was certainly true. But she had said the words, because she knew they would hit their mark.

Her plate of beef was rapidly diminishing, but Ren found herself unable to let go of the regrets she felt surging through her. Alice had told her she needed to get to grand Forks as quickly as possible, but had insisted she didn't know why. Was it really to bring her family back together — even her son? Or was Alice just being her usual self and seeing an opening to get her and her parents to have a real chance to connect? Did Alice know how much she, Ren, blamed herself and the other Cullens for what happened, or did she assume that she, too, blamed Bella for everything?

One thing was certain. Alice couldn't have any idea about what really happened with Jacob. And Ren was going to do everything possible to prevent her from ever finding out. She felt at least as strongly about that now as she had when she had first left for the Amazon.

Finished, she set her fork down with a clank. The eyes remained on her. IT was probably a 'can't beat them, join them,' scenario, she decided.

"Was Jacob here a lot?" she asked the room.

"Who wants to know?" bluster from a massive human.

"His wife," Ren turned on her barstool and flashed her biggest smile. Undercover wasn't going to get her anywhere with this crowd. But rather than consternation, all she saw was surprise, even shock. The large blusterer actually did a spit-take with his beer.

"Jacob never said nothing about no wife," said the smallest man there. He smelled like a wolf, but he looked much older than most active wolves usually did.

"Well, I — we've been separated for a few years."

The large human unashamedly looked her up and down. She raised her eyebrow at him, but he didn't seem to notice.

"What'd that idiot do to piss you off?" he asked.

"That's not important," Ren said, but she didn't even believe herself.

" _I thought this was what you wanted, Nessie," Jacob said. He clutched the flimsy beam across the roof of their hut and it sagged worryingly. Her golden eyes shone in his black ones, the flickering cooking-flame that was their only light struggling to stay lit against the breeze._

" _You thought I wanted to live in the middle of nowhere forever?" she was pacing back and forth, walking the length of the hut in seconds._

" _I thought you wanted to help people," he said, his words coming almost like sobs._

" _I do! And I think I have! But I don't have anything more I can give here. I want to go to be with — the others. They help people too."_

" _Sure, sure," Jacob pulled down on the beam and a hairline crack appeared. "They help people and just drink a little of their blood for their trouble."_

" _Nahuel doesn't drink live human blood!" Nessie knew Jacob was unreasonable about this, but she couldn't help arguing._

" _Oh, it's not actually coming out a person, so it's okay then?"_

" _Well, it's better. Isn't that better than killing anyone? Or killing these beautiful animals?"_

" _Isn't that what the animals are being bred for?"_

" _Why is that okay, but taking blood packets not okay?"_

" _You don't think it's disgusting? You only go for the jaguars yourself."_

 _Nessie sighed. "This isn't about blood, is it? You don't really believe that matters. You're convinced I think hybrids are better than humans — or than you."_

" _Don't you?" Jacob spat in the fire and stormed from the hut, banging the already-broken door so that it broke another hinge._

" _I love you, Jacob. I promised to be with you. But I didn't promise to change who I was. I'm not — "_

" _You're not Bella. You're not like your mother." Jacob sank down to his knees in the mud. He had begun to shake. Nessie stayed just inside the door._

" _Please don't make this about her again."_

" _It's not about her. You know I don't believe all the lies that your so-called grandfather tried to tell me."_

" _No, you just believe your own fantasies about her instead. Would that have been better — do you still think about that? If she'd stayed with you? She'd be dead now. Long dead. And I wouldn't be here at all. Maybe that would be a relief to you."_

" _No!" Jacob cried. "No! I told you never to speak like that to me! How dare you!" He seemed to be giving off nuclear heat, and then he was gone, and it was the wolf. The wolf ran away from the hut, into the swollen river, and vanished. But he would be back soon, wet and contrite. And maybe Ren couldn't deal with that any more. Maybe Jacob was right. It wasn't that hybrids were better than others. But they were less volatile, less dangerous. They understood each other. Nahuel, especially, understood her._

"I just want to find him now," Ren said. But the faces of the men around her were empty, or resolute. "It's important. It's not just about me. Please, if he wasn't here, where did he go?"

"We didn't follow him around, we're not his pack. The last man in his pack is out west now, delivering packages in the desert. He's not around much." Ren received occasional emails from Seth, reporting a thought or two of Jacob's that he picked up. But they were many thousands of miles apart most of the time. And if Jacob was in human form, he wouldn't be able to help.

"Look," said a scraggly specimen of wolf, "we have nothing against Jacob. But we have no way of knowing you even are who you say…"

She crossed to him then, and gently took his be-whiskered cheek in her hand. A few seconds later, he shook his head, and gazed at her in wonder. "OK, OK, ma'am, I believe you. Guys, she…she's his, all right…"

The others didn't seem inclined to argue, then.

"Tell me, why… did he… was he doing something good here?" Ren asked, not sure what kind of answer she hoped for. But she received no answer at all. The men, either species, looked up at the door as it opened and then down at their feet. They turned as one and walked away, out the back door, without another word.

"Hello, Mother," the man who had just entered spoke, smooth as silk and yet intoning in a whisper. "The barman here was ever so kind to let me know you'd arrived. What a pleasant surprise!"

It was all Ren could do to keep from fleeing from the room immediately. Instead, she forced herself to look into her's son eyes, to examine him with the same searching gaze he used on everyone. He was exactly as she remembered him; no surprise, there. Now, though, he wore a suit of such expensive tailoring that it had to be foreign in origin. Probably Italian, from what Bella had said about their brief encounter last week. His shoe shone brightly, almost obscene in their lack of scuffs. His hair was precisely styled, as if to ape the 'leading man' haircut of previous centuries; so much time they had wasted, being forcibly distracted by old movies. Ren had often said to Jacob that Reuben had derived all of his notions of morality from the old movies he had watched again and again. Jacob had never taken her seriously about this. _Much like everything else_ , she thought bitterly.

" _I want to raise my son to have some appreciation for things other than ancient literature and elderly movies," she said. Jacob paced. Carlisle grimaced._

" _What you want for him is irrelevant right now," Carlisle was shifting into doctor mode. He started to rattle off a diagnosis, straight out of a textbook. Ren couldn't deal with this clinical attitude any more._

" _Why is it that what I want is always irrelevant around here?"_

" _Don't feel bad, Nessie. Carlisle knows what's best for us. He knows that Reuben needs help." Jacob was pleading, but Ren didn't understand why. Jacob was always pleading with her not to make trouble._

" _Needs help? He needs more than help. He needs life." Ren stormed out, and too late, spotted her son, crouching on the stairs with his book. He looked twenty-five, but he was seventeen, really. She'd been there, sort of. But every time she tried to tell him that he could talk to her, he ran away. And now even that was basically impossible, so he just ran upstairs._

"I figured you'd find me sooner or later," she said to him as he stood in the middle of the room, absolutely reveling in his out-of-placedness.

"Looking for dear old Dad, are you?" his snide tone infuriated her, but there was no point in showing anger. Bella and Edward had never realized that; their intense vampiric emotions always got the better of them. But Ren could modulate. And so she tried.

"These nice fellas were helping me," Ren said, daring any of them to dispute her version of events. But when she looked around, she saw they had all melted away, out of the main room or gone completely. It was just her and him.

"I bet they were, Mother," he said, striding up to her with a purpose. He placed his hand on top of hers, on the bar next to her empty plate.

"Dad's gone, never coming back, same old story," he said. _Same old story? What story? Why did he believe a tale of Jacob's being the one who always left? Who was filling his head with so many lies?_

 _Carlisle_ …maybe. Ren never wanted to jump to conclusions. She'd have to demand information from Bella later, she sighed to realize. There was no way of avoiding it for much longer. But how do you start a conversation that you've been putting off for eighty years?

"How do you know what your Dad is doing? Did you speak to him? Do you know what he's going to — " It was getting impossible to keep the anger from her voice.

"No. I just sense it. He's like me. Wants to make sure he's never trapped again. But he's a coward, so he runs away, rather than making a sensible plan."

"And you're sensible? You've made plans? To prevent — "

"Don't you ever worry, Mother? That humans will go and fuck it all up again?"

 _What? What did this have to do with Jacob?_ "I don't see what…"

"My plans are to try and save you, and me, and even Dad, if he's not too stupid about it, from whatever idiotic thing the humans do next. And to save us in a way that doesn't leave us resentful and hateful, like me."

Ren was stunned. She had literally never before heard Reuben utter a self-critical word, much less an insightful one, delivered like this, without bitterness.

"I was terribly rude to _Nonna_ and _Papa_ the other day," he continued. "I regret that now. I sometimes don't come across the way I want to. I'm working on that…"

Speechlessness was not a normal state of affairs for Ren, but it was what she experienced now. Reuben began to walk away, toward the swinging saloon doors, and she didn't think, but simply reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Stay!" she asked, or begged, or commanded. It was nothing more than a whisper. She tried to show him with her touch a few memories of him, when he was a baby and very young, when she had just held him and felt him in her arms, when she had felt like a real mother rather than a discarded incubator…

"I can't stay here anymore, Mother," he said, shaking off her hand like it was a speck of dust. "Like I said, I have plans. Real plans. I promise I won't do anything to hurt you. Or Dad, if he ever gets over his fear and cowardice. I think I might finally have something to do that is worthy of me. It'll be good, Mother, really good."

Ren decided, as she always had before, that it was best to ignore Reuben's grandiosity and respond to what she thought he was _really_ talking about. "You should know, it wasn't Jacob's idea for us to separate. I asked him — "

"So he told me. Do you think I really care? I'm a grown man, Mother!"

With that, he turned on his heel and stormed out, as theatrical as ever. Ren clutched at the empty air, and felt her tears as they slid down her cheeks, but she wasn't exactly sure who, or what, they were for. All she knew was the feeling in the pit of her stomach; it was distrust, and the anguish of so many decades ago rushing back. It was an inability to explain, and a terrible dread that no explanation would do any good.

She was the mother of this man, but he was a total stranger to her. And she was, in this moment, glad of that.

20.00

The "dinner rush" at Type ABO had been a bit thinner lately, but today, it was busy enough. The shock of the near-riot and the ensuing anti-vampire sentiment had started to wear off, but the tone of conversation was still very much a defensive one. Those who had been present at the meeting told tales of their heroism; those who hadn't been there pretended that they had been nearby, had assisted in the hunt for the wild vampires, had seen the giant werewolf break through the wall, or some other tale of derring-do.

Bella sat at the bar, performing her human gestures like a ritual. Finger drumroll; hand through her hair; bouncing her leg over her knee. Her glass of B+ was mostly untouched and gradually congealing. While she tried to focus on the upcoming meeting, she couldn't help but think about Ren, and her little encounter with Reuben earlier. It was all she could do not to fall into a pit of self-recrimination, thinking about Reuben's words to her daughter; thinking about whether she was to blame for allowing him to be trapped for so long; thinking about how much influence the ideals of "Cullentopia" were in a twisted way the guiding principle of his life. But as she looked at Edward, whose own thoughts, she could guess, circled around the same themes, she knew she owed it to herself, to him, and to Ren, not to fall away. So she focused on what was happening now: the future they could still affect, and not the past that was lost to them, no matter how hard they wished for a second chance.

Edward, for his part, was having more success in avoiding "floating," this time. It did drive him crazy to see the effect Reuben had on the two women in his life, but he felt as if he had dealt with him the best he could for now. He had arranged with his father-in-law that it would be Charlie's role over the next few days to keep tabs on Reuben; to follow him if possible and to see whom he met and spoke to. Charlie was not to approach him unless it seemed necessary, but he was to get close enough to use his detector on any conversations he observed. For the sake of his daughter, and especially his granddaughter, Charlie had been eager to undertake this task, begging off the ABO meeting to Bella with a "not in the mood for a crowd" excuse which was eminently believable. Neither Edward nor Charlie wanted to involved Bella in this plan unless they absolutely had to.

Peter and Charlotte had arranged a booth in the back of the main room for Bella and Edward to meet with Marta discreetly. Once she arrived, Charlotte would usher her there and remain with her at all times, while Bella and Edward would speak to her for as long as she wanted or was able. They had padded the booth with extra soundproofing materials, though it wasn't a complete solution. If they weren't careful, a vampire might be able to overhear some of the conversation. Peter, for his part, would keep watch in the bar for anyone who seemed unduly interested, and if necessary follow them after the meeting. It was a good plan, as long as the informant decided, or was able, to show up.

Marta's arrival was straight out of a late-twentieth century spy novel. Or at least, that was Bella's assessment of where she was getting her playbook from. And, she had to admit, it was a pretty well-executed play. The first signal was a loud thump against the closed door, which attracted the attention of everyone in the bar. Then, the window in the back corridor slid open, and Marta slunk in, as quietly as a human could. At a normal pace, she then walked into the main bar, as if returning from the restroom. Once she spotted Bella in the booth, she nodded, but first she placed an order at the bar. While she waited, she scanned the faces of the patrons repeatedly. She seemed satisfied.

Peter handed her her order of cranberry juice and she walked to the booth, sliding in next to Bella.

"You remember Edward?" Bella said. Marta nodded. She even smiled shyly.

"I am pretty sure I was followed here, just a warning," she said. She sipped her juice and scanned once more around the whole bar.

"Is that why you came in the window?" Edward leaned forward and she shrank back.

"I found the window before… when I left the package for you. But yes."

"Are you responsible for the creation of that package? What do you know? Stop stalling." Edward's tone was aggressive, angry. Bella was going to be good cop this time. She was pleased; she so rarely got to play the role.

"I swear to you. I had nothing to do with 'the creation' of the package, as you put it. And I don't know everything, but I know enough to be scared. And to think that you might be the only ones who can help us."

"Help who? Blood is Life?"

Marta shook her head, looking at them as if they were a bit stupid. Edward crossed his arms and leaned back, doing his best to look skeptical. But so far, her thoughts and speech were closely aligned.

"No! Blood is Life is… they aren't really involved in this. They're mostly harmless. When I say us, I mean us. Humans. Humans in Grand Forks, at least. I think that that package is, um, a symptom. When I was at the warehouse…"

"Wait," Bella held up her hand. "Begin at the beginning, go on til you come to the end, then stop. We need to hear the whole story – thanks to your 'gift' we only have a part of it."

"You've been lied to, just as much as we have," Marta said. "OK, here's what I know. I came with my family to GF a few years ago. My parents were tired of being scared for their lives every day in New York. We got involved with the church, really as just something to make sense of it all, and I got a job at the spa through them. A lot of the congregation works in the vampire-related industry."

Edward nodded, to Marta a signal to continue, to Bella a signal that she was being consistent.

"I thought my job at the spa would be, like, a nail technician or the stuff you saw me doing yesterday," Marta said, sadness creeping into her voice. "But pretty soon they were having me drive one of these big vans – I was the only human on staff with a driver's license. I got one for a job when I was younger – anyway, they told me they needed a human to do some delivery driving at night. It was really a self-driving thing; the windows were all blacked out. I was just there for emergencies, guidance you know. It was extra money, so I've been doing in for about six months. One night – just a few weeks before you met me, um, the first time, one of the solar cels died on the truck, and I had to wait for help for over an hour – I was up the line, and they had to send someone to get me. I was so scared of being seen. Well, you know what it's like. I climbed into the back of the truck to hide. That's when I saw them. All these packets of blood – identical to the one I left for you. The big TRUTH stamp, and the little dot. I looked at it, I had nothing better to do, and I realized it was a little black swan."

Edward nodded again. Bella piped up, "And you didn't say anything to anyone?"

"Well, as far as I knew, there wasn't anything illegal going on. The blood packages looked legal, even if the design was weird. I just figured it was branding for the spa – TRUTH, Dr. Verity, it kind of made sense."

" _Aletheia_ also means truth. The truth of openness, of not being hidden," Bella offered. Edward looked at her in mild surprise. She hadn't mentioned how she'd made the connection.

"Well, okay. I didn't know anything else. But then I saw you – the Black Swan – and I kind of wondered if you had something to do with it."

"I don't!" Bella was indignant.

"I know that now. I just kind of wondered. I didn't decide to do anything, whatever it was I didn't want to get involved. Until something else happened when I was at the warehouse where I picked up the blood. It was a few days after I saw you."

Edward caught in her thoughts a new undercurrent, almost a static. It wasn't coherent thought, just an uncomfortable buzz. She gripped the edge of the table.

"I can't be here much longer or I'll be in real trouble. I – I think they might have a tracker on me somehow. I can feel a sort of buzz sometimes."

"Then hurry up! Finish the story!" Bella was really bad at playing good cop.

"There was some delay, and so I got out of the truck to wait. A door was open. I needed to go to the restroom, so I went inside. It's not like there were guards around or anything. But I saw just these huge pallets filled with blood packets – some of them with different labels. I went down the corridor labelled for the ladies' room, and I think I saw – it was like they were brain-dead, but walking."

"Zombies?" Bella burst out laughing.

"What? No. I don't – there were four humans walking toward me, with IVs in their necks. But the IVs seemed to be taking blood out, not circulating. I thought I recognized someone, but when I waved at her, she didn't react. It was weird."

"Did anyone catch you in there?"

"No, I don't think they ever knew I even went inside. Whoever runs the warehouse – I don't think the spa can possibly afford the rent on that place, it's huge – they seemed pretty confident that they were safe from prying eyes. It is a good few miles up the line, no one goes there, not even vamps. I couldn't tell you how to get there even if you took me with you. The route was programmed; different every time."

"Is that all you know?"

"Well, I don't know who is behind it, like I said. But I think they have some sort of apocalyptic notions."

"Haven't we had enough apocalypses?" Edward was gruff. He was inside her head, seeing a number of images repeating themselves; mostly, he saw the huge expanse of the warehouse, stacks upon stacks of pallets of blood. On the side of each pallet was a large stencil. He saw a whole section of TRUTH, but could see, fuzzily, that some of the stencils were different.

"Why do you think they're into the apocalypse?" Bella asked.

"There's been a bunch of serious-looking vamps at the spa lately. They act like we aren't even there a lot of the time. I keep hearing them mutter things to each other like 'the time is coming' or 'the time is now'. And when they do notice us, it's like — I can't explain exactly, I guess that they're looking at us like we're blood in a walking container, or something. Like we're all like those people I saw at the warehouse."

"Plenty of vampires have contempt for humans…" Bella leaned forward.

"It's more than that. I'm used to that."

"So…apocalyptic mutterings. Great." Bella had heard enough apocalyptic vampire rants to last an eternal lifetime, thank you very much.

"There's something else, kind of on the same themes. I think I figured out their password — I recognized it from the Bible, I remembered from when I was a kid…"

"Their password to what?"

"The warehouse, I think. That's where I heard them, anyway. It's this phrase… _vanitas vanitatum_ … a whole bunch of them were saying it. And I'm pretty sure I heard it once or twice at the spa, too. It's got to be a password, or codeword, or something. Seems pretty apocalyptic to me…"

"Vanity of vanities, hmm…" Bella looked to Edward like she was having ideas, but for the moment she wasn't inclined to share them. She continued to ask questions, more urgent than before.

"Do you know anything else about this TRUTH blood, specifically? Did you give it to me — to us — for a reason, other than it was the one you had?"

"Yeah, I guess. One of the weird vamps at the spa was talking about TRUTH a lot, said that they thought TRUTH — it was like I could hear the capitals — would be the way they'd get you. Um, well, they said, get the Black Swan, anyway. He made like a joke of it, said that the _truth_ would set you free…"

That made Bella sit back with a start. Edward was beginning to see something in Marta's head that he wanted her to focus on, but he wasn't sure how.

"Marta, can you do something for me? Can you focus on what you saw in the warehouse? The pallets? It might be important."

She did so, her hands flat on the table. Edward searched her memories. He spotted the TRUTH logo, with its smaller black swan-dot, everywhere, and was reminded of a similar vision he had seen in the mayor's mind. He saw a triangle design, with the word ORDER stenciled over it. And he saw a design that looked like a wine glass, with no word attached to it. There was a man standing next to those pallets.

Suddenly, Marta's head snapped up, and the uncomfortable buzzing was back. On the edge of the buzz, Edward saw another image that reminded him of the Mayor's nightmare-visions. It was only a nanosecond, but it was a vision of Marta, her neck bowed forward, amongst dozens of other humans, vampires drinking from them all. Obviously not a memory — why was it as clear as all her other thoughts?

Marta shifted in her seat. "There's definitely someone on to me, I don't know if — "

"One more second, Marta," Edward concentrated as hard as he could. That wine glass… perhaps it was a chalice? In her mind, he saw a man writing on a wine-glass pallet. He slowly made out the letters V - O - L…

"Does the word Volturi mean anything to you?"

Bella whipped her head around, staring at Edward. What had he seen?

Marta winced. "I've heard about it, vaguely, that they were targets in the attacks before the… before you all started to 'come out'…" she looked annoyed. _Why was that important now?_ Then, she remembered something.

"Actually, I think the spa owner — Dunstano, he's a nice enough guy. He said that word the other day."

Bella and Edward, for different reasons, were practically aching to tear the words from her.

"He was talking to another vamp, again, quiet, but not so quiet I couldn't hear. He said that the new Volturi would be ready soon. Oh! Yes! Volturi was another one of the pallets I saw. That's weird!" Then, Marta began to shake. She looked around wildly and then stood, breaking into a run. She went out the window faster than most humans ever could. It was almost as if something was drawing her out. Edward caught another series of horror-images of her own death as she vanished. _Maybe they should put Charlie on her guard, and deal with Reuben some other way_ …She was certainly a useful witness. _Why had she, and only she, felt compelled to come forward? Was it because they had saved her life?_ Edward couldn't help but be suspicious of her, if only a little. She seemed to know her spy-stories; maybe she was a double agent, really working for the other side…

 _It's so much weirder than she could ever imagine_ , Bella thought to herself. _Why were the New Volturi coming here? That's not what they'd led her to believe_ …

Peter and Charlotte looked at each other. _The New Volturi would be ready soon? Did Bella know this? Is that even why she'd brought them up here with her? And how much longer was she going to continue to lie, or as good as, to Edward?_ In that one look, the two of them made a decision.

22 September 2162

05.00

Charlie was heading home. Reuben had sat in an all-night coffee shop, all night. He had met no one. This was becoming pointless. He knew that Edward would be annoyed that he gave up, but either Reuben knew he was being watched, or he wasn't involved in anything to do with the spa, the church, the Shadow or Tom McGarry. None of their suspects had had anything to do with him. He sat, drank an awful lot of coffee and read a leather-covered book. Charlie was, frankly, bored.

It was almost sunrise. It was a beautiful time to approach his house from this direction. He'd always liked to walk the streets of his neighborhood at human speed, especially at this time of day. He wished that Ren would be waiting for him, but she'd insisted that she "bother" her parents instead. They did have better security in their building, but it was hardly a bother. Would she stay long? Even if right now wasn't the best time, he hoped she wouldn't be driven away again. He'd give anything to go back, to stay those extra ten years, for her sake alone. Time meant nothing to him, or at least it was supposed to, but he couldn't help but feel anxious that he didn't have an infinite amount of time with her. They just didn't know. Like so many things, they never spoke of it. _What good would it do?_ Bella would say. She usually agreed with Charlie that talking was better than not, but not on that issue.

As he turned up his drive, he was struck from behind with incredible force. He felt the blow, and then, immediately, felt nothing. He lay, face in the grass, completely paralyzed, for a few long seconds. Then he felt, or rather didn't feel, as a black canvas bag was dragged over his head. His stiff body was lifted at his shoulders and feet — though to him it was as if he was floating. He heard voices, but he couldn't tell what they were saying. The doors of a van slid open — that was a noise he would always recognize — and his body landed with a thud. He heard that, rather than felt it. The air in the van smelled cold, like it was artificially refrigerated, but of course he could feel no temperature difference. The door slid again, and he was vaguely aware of being held down. If he had to guess, his hands and feet were being shackled — it was likely to be Veep-issue lead-weights. A strong vampire could sometimes break through them, but he wasn't particularly strong at the best of times, and he was still, somehow, impossibly, unable to move at all. He could hear and smell and see — though all he saw was blackness, even at the edges of the cloth over his head, it was total blackness — but he couldn't feel a thing.

He closed his useless eyes and tried to concentrate on sounds. He could tell the van was moving, and there were three others in the van, judging by their voices. No heartbeats. He found himself drifting away — he would have said becoming sleepy, but that, of course, was not possible. Fighting to stay above it, whatever it was, he realized the three vamps were talking about him.

"This one I don't get. He looks — he has wrinkles, even. I mean, I know he was a Veep and stuff. He's been here forever. So maybe he's not so useless. But I don't get it. Why would anyone bother to turn him?"

"I heard his daughter did it."

"Daughter? Kinky."

"Nah, man, not like that. It was way before. You know, his daughter — she was like, still family with him when he was human. It's famous. She's famous."

"Is that why we're grabbing him? Ransom?"

"I said famous, not rich. I don't know, man. Ignorance is bliss."

 _I used to agree with you there, buddy_ , Charlie couldn't help but think. He heard himself almost chuckle and was surprised. And so were the others. Their reaction was swift, and Charlie felt another heavy blow, and then he felt nothing again, and this time he heard nothing either.


	15. 14: Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat

"Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak."

 **(Sun Tzu,** _ **The Art of War**_ **)**

19 September 2141

GRAND FORKS

07.00

 _HYMN ON THE OCCASION OF THE ADVENT_

 _OF WEATHER CONTROL IN GRAND FORKS_

Lo! They come with clouds descending,  
So many lowly humans slain;  
Thousand thousand wait, attending,  
Bloody triumph, the world's gain:  
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!  
They exist on earth to reign.

Now they shall rule and it shall rain.

Charlie squinted at the treepaper sheet in front of him. His police visor did nothing but blunt his vamp-vision, and the small droplets that fell from the sky were causing the ink to run already. The tune sounded distantly familiar to him, like something he had heard as a human child. The lyrics, of course, were new. And ridiculous. Why were these humans celebrating the Weather Agreement with a public choir? Dressed in white gowns, the men and women and children all looked like a parody of the church choirs he'd seen long ago. Pretty silly, but totally harmless. And why were the resources of the V-Police being used to protect them from other, angry humans?

Charlie wasn't even sure what the dispute was, exactly. As far as he knew, everyone was excited about the cloud machines, even those who were not completely sold on the co-op. But the co-op had existed, uneasily perhaps, before the Weather Agreement. Surely even anti-vamps could see that this was better for the humans, that the vamps were voluntarily relinquishing some power, voluntarily working to stabilize the society? Sometimes, Charlie was convinced that Bella was right, and humans didn't really _want_ society to be stable. At least, not the humans in power. Instability for all meant more power for them. Certainly, the humans protesting the introduction of cloud machines didn't seem to care what a boon the rains would be. Maybe there would even be a corn crop this year — which meant that maybe next year there could be a few farms. How anyone could be opposed to that, after the last century, was hard to see. So what if it meant that there'd be a few more vampires in the area?

It was never that simple, of course. The fear Charlie could practically taste in the air was hardly just coming from the anti-weather protesters. Even as their "hymn" swelled to its big finish, it was obvious that the choir was just as worried as their opponents. Was it the vamps that scared them? Or their own species.

"Feel it! Feel it rain!" Someone in the choir called out.

"Soon it will be raining blood!" A protester shouted.

The clouds were magnificent, really. Large, dark grey, rumbling gently across the sky, filling the whole of it. Nothing like anyone had seen out here for a very long time. Raindrops bounced off his visor. They made much more noise than Charlie remembered. When had he last been in the rain? It was while he was still in Alaska, at least. He wondered if it still rained in Forks, for a moment, before he remembered that if it did, no one would be there to notice.

"Praise be! The water of life!" called out a choir member, setting of a round of "Hallelujah" and "Amen."

Rain brought the water of life for humans. Would it bring the same for their vampire fellow-citizens? Charlie wasn't much given to philosophical speculation, but he couldn't help but think he was glad he was getting a chance to take part, to find out if this experiment could work. For the umpteenth time, he wished he could reach Bella. He thought she would be so excited if it went well… maybe she would even come to stay, for longer this time… maybe she would see the benefits of a settled life again, if this all could work.

"Swan! Move out!" His lieutenant barked in his earpiece. He realized then that his unit had started to march, alongside their charges, who were making their way through the streets, heading to the newly-opened human district.

"Sorry, sir!" He spoke into his mini-mic.

"Don't apologize, just don't fuck up! Where's your head at, Swan? Don't be an old man on me now!"

Charlie grimaced behind his visor and hot-footed it to his assigned place. He drew his weapon; his squad had all already done so. It felt bulky and uncomfortable in his hands. _Why do we even need guns? It's not like they would be more effective than our natural weapons_ … but appearances were what mattered here.

There was no threat; they were just showing the protesters that they were serious about protecting the march.

"They exist on earth to reign!" The song was taken up again. "They shall rule and it shall rain!"

On cue, the clouds rumbled heartily and the heavens opened. Sheets of water fell from the sky, soaking human and vampire alike. His visor was momentarily obscured by the force of the pouring rain. The heartbeats all around him picked up speed, and the marchers stopped in their tracks, lifting up their faces and throwing their arms apart.

 _Water and blood_ …one needed the other.

22 September 2162

11.45

The telescreen in Bella and Edward's loft hadn't been turned on in so long, that when they arrived home to the sound of it, or rather to the sound of some program that appeared to be staged on the grounds of the local high school, they were initially confused as to where the noise was coming from.

"Hi Mom and Dad!" Ren called. "I was bored while you guys were out, so I tried the screen. It works! I thought you said it never had anything on."

"Does 'Romance Stories: Teen Chronicles of GF' count as 'something'?" Bella laughed.

"Fair point," Ren said. "Did you make sure that woman was OK?"

"Yes," Edward said. He crossed to his daughter and gave her a surprisingly fierce hug. "We've got Charlotte watching her. Charlie must still be out, so she said she'd stay with her."

They'd debated whether to send Edward or Peter to watch McGarry as well, but figured that as long as he stayed in his apartment, whatever was going on, they wouldn't go to him there. He'd been pretty enthusiastic when they'd brought him a bunch of human food, though. Ren had been very helpful with suggestions. It would have been pretty embarrassing if they'd brought him rotten vegetables. It was so hard to tell, they all smelled so terrible. Their instincts with meat were a little better, but they knew not to even try with the dairy. Ren took that upon herself without even asking. She had returned with a large basketful, and Edward and Bella's horrified expressions made it worthwhile, even though it would be hideously expensive.

"There's such a huge selection here!" Ren had marveled. "I picked up some beef for myself, I hope that's OK."

 _Grocery shopping like a human family_ , Edward had thought. It was surprisingly fun, if only because Ren was in continual hysterics. Was it only their daughter who couldn't get enough of seeing her parents be completely incompetent?

"Oh, Wayne," called a teen girl from the screen, breathy, and yet stilted, "I love you so much, but my parents say a romance with a vampire boy is forbidden!"

"Oh Lorelai," 'Wayne' responded. He was a massive 'boy', and looking at him, Bella and Edward both couldn't help but think fleetingly of Emmett. But it was not Emmett that they were mostly thinking of, drawn to the screen in spite of themselves. "Who cares about what your parents say? I will apply to the government on your behalf, and once I prevent the irrefutable genetic evidence that you are my mate, you can be with me, after your eighteenth birthday. It shall be a romance for all time!"

Ren looked at her parents and saw exactly what she suspected. The terrible acting was not enough to prevent them from getting a certain look on their faces. The adventures of Wayne and Lorelai might not be quite as wild and romantic as their own story, but they were, unawares, folding themselves around each other as the two young 'actors' continued to declare themselves. If Ren didn't stop them, she knew that the unpleasant spectacle of her parents _making out_ was imminent.

"Hello!" she snapped her fingers in front of them. They shuffled apart, as if they had been 'caught'. "Gosh, you guys are still just as embarrassing as ever!" she said, but with a smile. Bella ducked her head and hid her eyes in Edward's shoulder. But Ren's delight in the foibles of her parents was interrupted then, as Wayne and Lorelai snapped from view, and a graphic on a plain background appeared, announcing a 'Special News Alert'.

The high school stage was then replaced with an office, a bare pine desk with a leather chair. From offscreen there were a few scuffling noises, and then a man, blond and pale and tall, in a politician's grey suit, walked on and sat in the chair, as if he regularly gave television addresses from his home. The camera zoomed in on his face, and he flashed a dazzling smile, showing his perfect white teeth and bright amber eyes.

"Hello," he began in a measured tone, "I'm Doctor Carlisle Cullen, speaking to you from my office. I asked the president if it would be possible, given the concerns and unrest that some areas of the country have been experiencing, for me to speak to the public through this wonderful new national network. The president very graciously agreed."

Bella and Edward looked at each other, and at Ren, who had gone back to the sofa and was leaning forward, her eyes glassy with shock. Since when was Carlisle on favor-asking terms with the President? It occured to Bella that everyone would probably ask the same thing about herself.

Carlisle picked up what looked like a fountain pen and held it in his palm, as if it was the beginning to a magic trick.

"People of Grand Forks, North Dakota, in particular are on my mind this evening," he continued, and the camera zoomed in even closer. Edward went to the phone to call Charlie and tell him to turn on his screen.

"It has been another difficult time for the citizens of this great city, this shining example of what humanity — of all species — can do when it puts its mind to it."

Bella scoffed at that. Edward shook his head. Still no answer at Charlie's. Maybe Reuben had him on a chase somewhere.

"The Shadow legislature has been a subject of some suspicion, both in Grand Forks and elsewhere, despite the fact that it exists solely to provide assistance to the human government. It is only natural, of course, that any concentration of power in vampires seems like a threat to the human population. I have been asked, therefore, by the current national Shadow legislature to reassure everyone, in Grand Forks, and elsewhere, that the vampire community is as concerned with the recent violence as everyone else. To that end, some new restrictions will be brought into the co-operation agreements, in Grand Forks, Denver and Chicago. To wit, all vampires will be issued a residence permit card with all their identifying details, including their special gifts, and their declared diet. Blood allowances will be reduced, and an absolute ban on all hunting within city limits will continue to be enforced. In addition, no new non-human residents will be admitted, as permanent residents or as guests, until further notice. All vampires who will not comply with these regulations will be asked to leave the co-ops. A week's notice will be given, effective now."

There was a brief pause. Bella asked Edward, "Did you know Carlisle was on the national Shadow?"

"I didn't know he was even back in the country until Alice told us! Who knows how long he's been here, or what he's been doing?"

"Do you think he knows I'm here?" Ren was scared.

"It's possible," Edward said. "You should probably stay with one of us or Charlie for now — no wandering around!"

Carlisle began to speak again. "I hope that these new measures will be more effective than mere force in alleviating all concerns. It is important to the Shadow — and to me, personally — that it be clear that we are here to help solve the many problems of our great nation, to be a resource to help face the many challenges that we continue to confront. It is time for us once more to join together, those who bleed and those who take that blood, to remind ourselves that we must face the future together. We must be together to face what's coming."

 _Oh, so now you're very keen on helping them, are you?_ Bella allowed her shield to drop.

"And it is a great privilege and honor for me to announce at this time that I will be seeking the nomination for Shadow presidency at the convention next month," the screen crackled for a second and the camera pulled back, to show Carlisle relaxed against the back of the chair, the pen now cupped in his hand lightly.

Now all three of them were shocked. Edward was thinking, _it's only a ceremonial position_ … Bella was thinking, _why is he making this move now?_ And Ren was thinking, making Edward even more concerned, _is he trying to track me down? I won't go to him again_ …

But all such thoughts of strategy fled from their minds as they saw five vampires in shackles be led on screen by GF Veeps, or at least by people dressed as Veeps. The vampires were forced to their knees by their guards. Carlisle walked forward and stood behind one of the vampires. He placed his left hand on the vamp's left shoulder.

"Enforcement of all regulations will be swift and severe. To demonstrate how seriously the Shadow takes our responsibility, I have brought perpetrators from the recent violence in Grand Forks to receive their sentence in this public forum. In this, I have the blessing of the President himself, the Shadow president, and the mayor of Grand Forks."

With no further ado, Carlisle flicked open the 'pen', which revealed itself to be, instead, a heavy-gauge needle. His left hand pressed down heavily on the shoulder of the selected vampire, a grim-faced redhead who stared straight at the camera. In a swift motion, Carlisle slammed the needle into the neck of the vampire and depressed the plunger. Rather than shattering into a thousand pieces, as any metal needle should have, this one successfully entered. The plunger pressed some sort of amber-colored liquid into the neck. As soon as all the liquid was gone, the vampire's face twisted into an expression of extreme pain, and the whole of his head above the injection site crumbled into dust, leaving a rough marble neck behind, gaping, as it were, at the audience. The body was then smoothly dismembered by several obviously-human assistants who appeared and quickly vanished again, each carrying a separate limb.

Carlisle had discovered how to kill a vampire, without the necessity of vampire-strength or speed. The question of _how_ was barely even one of their considerations. And, not coincidentally, he was running for Shadow President. The rest of that little speech had meant nothing; it was for show. No doubt the humans would be suitably impressed. In fact, Carlisle had gone on national TV, it seemed to Edward and to Bella, to deliver a threat. Who wasn't going to vote for the man who held their immortality in his hands, casually, like it was a disposable writing implement? It seemed, as well, that part of that threat was directly aimed at the current occupants of this room. _You will do as I say now, won't you?_ Would they?

 _We must be together to face what's coming_ …

 _Does he know everything?_ Bella was more terrified than she had been in a very long time. _Or worse, does he_ think _he knows what's coming, like always, and that it's all my fault?_

11.55

Marta sat at her kitchen table. She scratched a fingernail along the uneven surface. She should feel more embarrassed about the shabbiness of her living situation, but she didn't have the energy.

"Why have you come to see me? What if you're spotted?" She asked her visitor.

"You've been able to evade them so far, at least when necessary, have you not?" He squinted at her, his eyes never moving from her face.

"Yes, I've done everything you've asked me to." She took a small leather box from her pocket and placed it on the table. He snatched it up greedily.

"I got this for you. They don't even lock the drawer they keep them in."

"Arrogant fools."

"I don't understand, though. Why are you helping them? I thought you hated them."

"I do hate them. But they are necessary. We have to preserve them; there are larger issues at stake. Didn't you see the telecast just now?"

"Yes, of course I did."

"This isn't the kind of thing where I can afford to let my emotions get in the way. I have a job to do, and so do you. I came to tell you that we're not finished. Get your affairs in order. Don't waste time. They mustn't suspect a thing."

"They won't. I've been well trained — and I got a hold of a useful drug, as well. Keeps my brain nice and fuzzy to outside visitors."

Her guest grimaced. "I hope it works. You have to convince them. They've got ways of finding out — "

"Do you trust me at all?" She stood up.

"Certainly not. I don't trust humans any more than I trust vampires."

"You aren't human yourself?" She looked closely at him. She had always assumed, from the way he spoke about her employers, that he was human. And deeply paranoid. But he was just as necessary to her as she was to him. They didn't need to agree on everything.

"If I am, then I would know just how deceitful humans can be, wouldn't I?"

With that, he left. And she was left unsatisfied. But she was a good soldier, and she could follow orders. She could follow orders from three different people at the same time, if she needed to. It was the only thing which had kept her alive until now. And it would be the only thing that would keep her alive, until it didn't.

12.00

Everything was in turmoil. Bella and Edward received, over the next hour, over 50 phone calls and 100 emails. Edward made light of it, groaning about what the monthly bill would be, but it was not convincing anyone. The entire vampire community of GF wanted to know who this Cullen was, and if they were somehow linked to him and his apparent plans. Reassuring their friends and clients had not been easy. Especially since they were not very reassured themselves.

They also made a number of calls, when the line was briefly free. They still could not reach Charlie, and were becoming concerned. Peter and Charlotte called, and they were summoned to the loft, and asked them to find a van. They spoke briefly to McGarry, who was as stunned as anyone to hear what had happened, and thanked them profusely for the food once again. He seemed distant, but perhaps he had simply lost hope that he would ever know what happened to him.

Ren initially suggested that she should leave GF, but her parents were emphatic in their refusal that she even consider it. The safest place for her, 'unauthorized' visitor or not, was with them. She was quickly convinced not to panic, at least for a few moments. She went into the bedroom and shut the door, to try to get some sleep. Edward saw that she was really just leaving them alone to work, or plan, without her face as a constant reminder of their fears, new and recurring.

Peter and Charlotte arrived, about an hour later, with a van fully charged and parked in the street. Edward didn't bother to ask where they got it from; he saw from Peter that they had "borrowed" it from a pair of ice-dealers who they had kicked out of the bar a few days before.

It was decided that Charlotte would go to Charlie's house and bring him up-to-date if he was there; if not, she would resume her checks on Marta and McGarry, and add in an attempt to find Reuben and see if Charlie was still on him. Peter and Edward would take the van and follow up Marta's leads. Bella was to stay and continued to man the phones and email correspondence. She was also to spend time with/keep an eye on Ren. Normally, she would have pouted at being 'benched', but she actually seemed eager to stay behind. Maybe they could finally have that talk that circumstances kept preventing them from…

Peter saw in her eyes that she knew what he was going to do, but he was undeterred. Now, more than ever, Edward needed to have all the facts. There was a chance his own father was in this up to his neck! But for the moment Bella was shielding his thoughts. It would have to wait.

Ren sat in the bedroom, unable to sleep or even to read. She knew the vampires were talking about important things, possibly including her, but she couldn't even put in the energy to eavesdrop. She kept circling around the words of her grandfather, the image of his amber eyes staring out, as if directed at her alone.

 _We must face the future together_ … he had said that to her twice before, so long ago, when she was at her personal lowest, and again when the whole world looked like it was vanishing away. Then, it had been a message of hope, or so she had thought. But now, it was something else. A warning? A command?

" _I don't know what to do with him, Gramps."_

" _Does he scare you?"_

" _Sometimes. He brings me dead things from his walks and asks me if I'm proud of him. He laughs at suffering. He won't talk to other children. He says he's not really a child. He doesn't understand why he has to go to school."_

" _What do you say? You had a similar experience…"_

" _I say that I still talked to my schoolmates. What can I do?"_

" _What does Edward say?"_

" _He says that I have to let go. That it's not my fault. That I should send him away when he's fully grown. That he's not.. Right."_

" _No."_

" _No?"_

" _Even if that's true, we can't send him away. We can't leave him out in the world. He's ours, no matter what."_

 _She looked out the window at him, sitting in a tree, staring down at the dog, mimicking the dog's snarling face._

" _He's mine, but he's not yours, Carlisle."_

" _We must face the future together, Nessie. We are all we are for each other."_

" _Why can't we go and help?"_

" _It's not safe."_

" _But I don't get sick! I've never been sick."_

" _If you can bleed, you can die. Especially from this."_

" _OK. What if I'm willing to risk it? Mom and Dad…"_

" _That's different. They aren't in danger… of dying, anyway."_

" _But you didn't even want them to go."_

" _We need to be here, for each other."_

" _Why do I need to be locked up like a prisoner with my family?"_

" _It's the only way to keep you safe. I — we can't lose you."_

" _It's OK to lose my parents though?"_

" _They are making the wrong choice, but they aren't gambling with their own lives."_

" _But you said that if they left, they couldn't come back."_

" _I… I spoke hastily then. I just want us to be a family. We must face the future together. Who knows what there will be once this is over…"_

Whatever the future was, Ren wasn't sure she wanted to be a part of it with Carlisle. Her musings were cut short, though, by the sound of the international ring on the phone, and a much happier-sounding squeal from her mother, shouting for her to come into the living room.

"It's Alice!" Bella said.

"Hi Nessie!" Alice was as loud, as chipper, as always. "We're in Belgium now, but I think we've got a ship ready to cross to New York tonight! We'll be back soon. Just calling to update you!"

"Hey Ness," a softer, masculine voice came on.

"Jasper, it's been too long," Ren said with affection.

"Alice, honey, the phone's been ringing off the hook. I assume you know why?"

A brief pause. Bella continued, "I don't suppose you had a nice vision that can just wrap up this whole case for us?" Alice laughed, lightly but hollow.

"I don't know much of what's going on, Bella. About the case — how could I know what to look for? About Carlisle — he's not made any clear decisions that I can see, other than his presidential run."

"Before he left Africa, did you know?"

"I swear I didn't, Bella. I wouldn't have kept that from you. Or Edward."

"Why wouldn't he tell you?"

"I don't think he knew he would have the chance. Or that he wanted the chance."

Bella sighed. "I know Carlisle and I haven't… been on the same page, for a long time. But I never got the sense that he was preparing for a move like this. It seems so un-Carlisle to want to be in power."

Jasper responded first. "Africa changed him. He didn't like it there, alone, without his family. Alice and I — he barely spoke to us for years. He didn't like being somewhere with literally no humans. He felt hopeless; I'd never seen him like that."

"Not even… not even when Edward and I left the first time?"

A longer pause.

"That was the closest. The way he was with Ness and Jacob…and Reuben. That was the closest to what he was like just now. Then, I felt so much despair coming from him. I thought it was mostly about Esme, but it didn't all make sense. Now, I don't know. I can't read his emotions over the screen, you know…"

"I know, Jasp." Bella was feeling like she should apologize. Ren would recognize the slight stoop of her shoulders from a mile away. "Look, I… I know I wasn't there for what that was like."

"No — you were somewhere where it was so much worse!" Jasper almost spit the words. They could hear the sound of a smack to a hard head.

"Bella, let's not…"

"No! Alice, let Jasper say what he wants. He had to feel our suffering," Ren piped up. "He knew better than any of us what was really going on. Even better than Dad would have, I bet."

"I wanted to go with you, at first, you know," Jasper said. Alice gasped, barely audible.

"Jasp! I never knew. Edward never said."

"I figured I had the least to lose."

"I think you wouldn't have survived, Jasp. It was real undiscovered country territory out there. No one coming back."

"I think you're right. Carlisle convinced me to stay behind, for Alice's sake. But I still think it was really because he knew I wouldn't survive, experiencing so much suffering. I have no idea how Edward stayed sane.

 _I don't know if he was completely sane, for a while_ , Bella thought. "He wanted to get back to Ren. That was enough." _To free her_. Bella saw then that Ren was crying, silently but fiercely.

"I think that Carlisle believes that if he's not in charge, something like the plague is going to happen again. Or the '60 attacks."

 _Or that I am going to be made vampire messiah-queen_ , Bella thought angrily.

"Why does Carlisle think _he_ can stop it?" Ren was angry now, too.

A long silence; the connection sounded like it was breaking but then came back.

"Because of whatever secret he has in that syringe," Alice said. "He's always believed in the benefits of benevolent dictatorship." _For different values of benevolent, anyway_ , Bella argued in her head, shadow-boxing like she had for so long.

Aloud, she laughed, a bitter, short laugh. "And you have no idea where he got it?"

"I think you have a better idea than I do," Alice said, her tone of voice accusing. Bella could only imagine what Alice's visions had showed her in the days since Jacob vanished. She could only hope…but Alice would have told her if she'd seen anything relevant about her Louisiana sojourn, surely…

"What?" Ren looked at her mother, in surprise. Bella shook her head.

"I don't, Alice. At least, not yet. I think I will when we've solved this case. And I think that will be soon."

"For everyone's sake, I hope you're telling the truth. And that you're right. You're not always right, Bella. You don't always make the right choice." Click. _She didn't even say goodbye_.

The Cullens were coming, the Cullens were coming. Two by sea; one by land?

SOMEWHERE IN THE INDEPENDENT YUKON TERRITORY

 _Evening_

Here he could run, run for hours without encountering another living thing, run for days without hearing any sound other than his own breath echoing in his ears and the wind whistling by, driving against the tall, straight trees. He ran and ran, feeling the hard, dry ground under his paws. Pine needles filled the air with their soft, soothing scent. He ran, whipping his head from side to side, taking in the sights as he sped by them. He met another once; the lonely wolf mewled at him, bared his teeth, but did not attack. He was still big and strong; his own kind always recognized his Alpha status, even if there wasn't any pack behind him to back him up.

He'd tried for a while to reach Seth through the pack mind, but he was too far away now, it seemed. And so he had given up, and just run. And now he was coming to his destination. He took a long route, going in circles a few times, taking an excursion to run up a small mountain and cover his coat in the fresh snow. He leapt across a small river to take down a small deer, and as he tore into his flesh he wondered if he would still like venison.

The pine forests began to thin out as he approached the Arctic circle, and still he ran. He knew he would have to stop soon. He felt like there was no way to get far enough from what he had done, but he was going to do what he could. Distance was only one thing. He felt the last rays of the sun on his back as he took off once more, toward the small column of smoke visible on the other side of this stand of trees. The sun slipped below the horizon and he stopped for a moment. He listened one more time to the wind; he smelled the forest's smells one more time. Once more he looked around in the twilight, seeing the leaves on the trees as the waved gently, each of the blades of grass, with their accompanying ants and other insects. He could smell that smoke, and the meat it was cooking, and he felt the saliva fall from his open, panting jaws. He allowed himself to feel all these things, for a little longer.

And then he ran.


End file.
